Mayor of Split

Mayor of the City of Split
Gradonačelnik Grada Splita
Incumbent
Ivica Puljak
since 15 July 2022
Term length4 years, unlimited number of renewals
Inaugural holderJakov Cindro
Formation1806
Websitesplit.hr

The Mayor of the City of Split (Croatian: Gradonačelnik Grada Splita), colloquially the Poteštat (derived from "podestà"), is the highest official of the Croatian city of Split. From 1990 to 2007 the mayor was elected by the city assembly. Since 2007 Croatian mayors have been elected directly by the citizens.[1] The first such election in Split occurred in 2009.

List

Here follows a list of the 72 men who have thus far served as Mayor (or President of the City Council) of the City of Split. They were immediately preceded by the succession of podestà (city "princes" or "governors", kneževi) under the Venetian Republic. The latter were colloquially known as "poteštati", and usually also held the office of Captain of the City. The term "poteštat" has since remained as a local, traditional term for the mayor as well.

Kingdom of Italy

  Independent

Coat of Arms of the noble House of Cindro
No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note
1 Giacomo Cindro 1755–1818 1806 1809 Independent Preceded by last Venetian Podestà (and City Captain) Nicolo Barozzi, who was removed in 1797. Stepped down amid political disputes in 1809.

French Empire

No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note
N/A Pietro Alberti 1809 1810 Independent Acting mayor.
First term.
N/A Antonio Sarti 1810 1810 Independent Acting mayor.
N/A Nicolò Ivulich 1810 1810 Independent Acting mayor.
N/A Pietro Alberti 1810 1811 Independent Acting mayor.
Second term.
2 Giuseppe Cindro 1811 1813 Independent

Austria

  People's Party   Autonomist Party

No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note
3 Carlo Lanza 1778–1834 1813 1814
4 Pietro Nutrizio Grisogono 1748–1823 1814 1818 Autonomist Party
5 Pietro Cambi 1818 1823 Autonomist Party
6 Leonardo Kružević 1823 1825 Autonomist Party
7 Giovanni Lorenzo Alberti 1795–1879 1825 1831 Autonomist Party
8 Leonardo Dudan 1798–1864 1832 1836 Autonomist Party First term.
9 Jerko Capogrosso 1841 1844 Autonomist Party
10 Michele Tartaglia 1798–1886 1845 1848 Autonomist Party
11 Leonardo Dudan 1798–1864 1848 1853 Autonomist Party Second term.
12 Simone de Michieli-Vitturi 1801–1868 1853 1859 Autonomist Party Presided over the start of the so-called "Split Renaissance".
13 Antonio Bajamonti 1822–1891 1860 1864 Autonomist Party First term. Held longest term in office as mayor of Split: headed city government almost continuously for 20 years (1860-1880).
14 Francesco Lanza 1808–1892 1864 1865 Autonomist Party
15 Antonio Bajamonti 1822–1891 1865 1880 Autonomist Party Second term. This time representing the Liberal Union coalition. The longest term in office of any Mayor of Split.
16 Alessandro Nallini 1880 1882 Autonomist Party
17 Emilio Ragazzini 1882 1882 Autonomist Party
18 Dujam Rendić-Miočević 1834–1915 1882 1885 People's Party Resigned due to conflict with Gajo Filomen Bulat.
19 Gajo Bulat Gajo Filomen Bulat 1836–1900 1885 1893 People's Party
20 Ivan Manger 1840–1919 1893 1897
21 Petar Katalinić 1844–1922 1897 1899 First mayor from the Katalinić family.
22 Vinko Milić 1833–1910 1900 1906
23 Ante Trumbić Ante Trumbić 1864–1938 1906 1907 Croatian Party
24 Vicko Mihaljević 1861–1911 1907 1911 Served as the inspiration for the mayor character in the Velo Misto series by Miljenko Smoje.
25 Vicko Katalinić 1857–1917 1911 1912 First term. Second mayor from the Katalinić family.
26 Teodor Šporn 1879–1953 1912 1913 First term.
27 Vicko Katalinić 1857–1917 1913 1914 Second term.
28 Frane Madirazza 1885–1929 1914 1917
29 Vicko Nišetić 1917 1917
30 Teodor Šporn 1879–1953 1917 1918 Second term.
31 Josip Smodlaka Josip Smodlaka 1869–1956 1918 1918 Croatian Democratic Party First term.
Previously a member of the Imperial Council of the Austrian Empire. Later became a member of the NKOJ and the first foreign minister of the second Yugoslavia.

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

  Yugoslav National Party   Yugoslav Radical Union   Croatian Peasant Party

No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note
32 Ivo Tartaglia Ivo Tartaglia 1880–1949 1918 1928 Held office for 10 years. His extensive art collection formed the core of the exhibitions in the future Gallery of Fine Arts in Split.
33 Petar Bonetti 1888–1967 1928 1928
34 Josip Berković 1885–1968 1928 1929
35 Jakša Račić 1868–1943 1929 1933 Yugoslav National Party Medical doctor, head of the city sanatorium. Modernized medical services in the city; began the forestation of Marjan hill. An ethnic Croat, he was a member of the Chetnik movement during World War II. He was executed by Dalmatian Partisans.
36 Mihovil Kargotić 1933 1938
37 Mirko Buić 1894-1967 1938 1938
38 Vlado Matošić 1938 1939 Yugoslav Radical Union
39 Ivan Zlatko Vrdoljak 1939 1939
40 Stjepan Spalatin 1939 1940
41 Josip Brkić 1887–1959 1940 1941 Croatian Peasant Party

World War II

  National Liberation Front (resistance coalition)   Communist Party of Yugoslavia

No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note
Civil Commissioners
Italian occupation 1941–43
N/A Bruno Nardelli April
1941
28 April
1941
National Fascist Party
N/A Antonio Tacconi 1880–1962 28 April
1941

1943
National Fascist Party Civil Commissioner (mayor) for Split after the city's formal annexation into fascist Italy.
No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note
Presidents of the National Liberation Committee
Wartime resistance city government 1942–47
42 Ivo Amulić 1911–1973 6 April
1942
15 May
1942
Unitary National Liberation Front
(coalition)
43 Ivo Tijardović 1895–1976 15 May
1942
July
1943
Unitary National Liberation Front
(coalition)
44 Josip Smodlaka Josip Smodlaka 1869–1956 September
1943
October
1943
Unitary National Liberation Front
(coalition)
Second term.
Previously a member of the Imperial Council of the Austrian Empire. Later became a member of the NKOJ and the first foreign minister of the second Yugoslavia.
45 Petar Vitezica 1903–1970 October
1943
May
1944
Unitary National Liberation Front
(coalition)
46 Umberto Fabris May
1944
25 November
1944
Unitary National Liberation Front
(coalition)
47 Ante Mrduljaš 25 November
1944
25 June
1947
Communist Party of Yugoslavia

Federal Yugoslavia

  League of Communists of Yugoslavia   Croatian Democratic Union

The current Coat of arms of Split is a modification of this one introduced during the Yugoslav period, which, in turn, was based on the Medieval (14th century) arms
No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note
48 Marko Šore 1947 1947 Communist Party of Yugoslavia
49 Ivo Raić 1947 1949 Communist Party of Yugoslavia
50 Paško Ninčević 1949 1952 Communist Party of Yugoslavia
(renamed in 1952)
51 Ivo Senjanović 1952 1955 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
(renamed)
52 Rade Dumanić 1918–2008 1955 1963 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Presided over the start of large-scale urbanization and expansion of the city.
53 Ante Zelić 1963 1965 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Paved the road network on Marjan hill.
54 Ivo Perišin 1925–2008 1965 1967 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Also at one time held the positions of President of the Executive Council (Prime Minister), and President of the Assembly (Head of State) of Croatia.
55 Jakša Miličić 1926–2024 1967 1974 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Presided over major urban expansion projects and the construction of the Split 3 district.
56 Vjekoslav Vidjak 1974 1982 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Presided, along with Ante Skataretiko, over the organization and preparations for the 1979 Mediterranean Games in Split.
57 Dragutin Matošić 1982 1983 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
58 Ante Kovač 1983 1984 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
59 Božidar Papić 1985 1986 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
60 Drago Urličić 1986 1987 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
61 Gordana Kosanović 1987 1990 League of Communists of Yugoslavia
62 Onesin Cvitan 1939–
1990

1991
Croatian Democratic Union
1990

Since independence

  Croatian Democratic Union (4)   Social Democratic Party (2)   Croatian Social Liberal Party (1)   Liberal Party (1)   Independent   Croatian Civic Party (1)   Centre (1)

No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office

Electoral
mandate
Party Note
63 Petar Slapničar Petar Slapničar 1932– 1991 1993 Croatian Democratic Union
 —
  Nikola Grabić Nikola Grabić 1938– 1993 1997
Croatian Social Liberal Party
Switched political party mid-term.
64


 — Croatian Democratic Union

65 Ivan Škarić Ivan Škarić 1944– 1997 2001 Croatian Social Liberal Party Elected to the Croatian Parliament in 2003.[2]
 —
66 Slobodan Beroš Slobodan Beroš 1945–2020 2002 2003 Social Democratic Party
 —
67 Miroslav Buličić Miroslav Buličić 1952– 2003 2005 Liberal Party
 —
68 Zvonimir Puljić Zvonimir Puljić 1947–2009 2005 2007 Croatian Democratic Union Resigned after confrontations with the Velo Misto List coalition partner.
2005
69 Ivan Kuret Ivan Kuret 1971– 17 July 2007 1 June 2009 Croatian Democratic Union Continuation of the previous term; appointed following the resignation of his predecessor.
 —
Željko Kerum Željko Kerum 1960– 1 June 2009 7 June 2013
Independent
Ran as an independent candidate. After the election, he founded the Croatian Civic Party (HGS). Elected Member of Parliament in 2011 (ran in coalition with the Croatian Democratic Union).
70


2009 Croatian Civic Party

71 Ivo Baldasar Ivo Baldasar 1958– 7 June 2013 28 March 2017 Social Democratic Party Ran as a candidate for the Social Democratic Party but was thrown out of the party in 2016. Founded The Split Party in 2017. Resigned as mayor after his budget proposals were voted against.
2013
Branka Ramljak
(Government Commissioner)
1962– 28 March 2017 14 June 2017 Independent
72 Andro Krstulović Opara 1967– 14 June 2017 7 June 2021 Croatian Democratic Union
2017
73 Ivica Puljak Ivica Puljak 1969– 7 June 2021 8 April 2022 Centre Resigned as mayor along with his deputies following allegations against the deputy for threats made to certain journalists.
2021
Mirna Veža
(Government Commissioner)
8 April 2022 15 July 2022 Independent Acting mayor until new is elected.
73 Ivica Puljak Ivica Puljak 1969– 15 July 2022 Centre First mayor ever to win reelection in Split.
2022

See also

References

  1. ^ Sabor (5 October 2007). "Zakon o izborima općinskih načelnika, gradonačelnika, župana i gradonačelnika Grada Zagreba". Narodne novine (in Croatian). Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  2. ^ Sabor. "Zastupnici 4. saziva Hrvatskoga sabora". Archived from the original on 3 December 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2012.