The Mayor of the City of Split (), 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. 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
No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note 1 Jakov Cindro 1755–1818 1806 1809 Independent Preceded by last Venetian Podestà (and City Captain) , who was removed in 1797. Stepped down amid political disputes in 1809.
French Empire
No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note N/A Petar Alberti 1809 1810 Independent Acting mayor.First term. N/A Antun Sarti 1810 1810 Independent Acting mayor. N/A 1810 1810 Independent Acting mayor. N/A Petar Alberti 1810 1811 Independent Acting mayor.Second term. 2 Josip Cindro 1811 1813 Independent
Austria
No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note 3 Karlo Lanza 1778–1834 1813 1814 Petar Nutrizio-Grisogono 1748–1823 1814 1818 Autonomist Party Petar Cambi 1818 1823 Autonomist Party Leonard Kružević 1823 1825 Autonomist Party 1795–1879 1825 1831 Autonomist Party 1798–1864 1832 1840 Autonomist Party Served as municipal governor from 1834 to 1837. Jerko Capogrosso 1841 1844 Autonomist Party Mihovil Tartaglia 1798–1886 1845 1848 Autonomist Party Leonard Dudan 1798–1864 1848 1853 Autonomist Party Šimun de Michieli-Vitturi 1801–1868 1853 1859 Autonomist Party Presided over the start of the so-called "Split Renaissance". 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). Frano Lanza 1808–1892 1864 1865 Autonomist Party 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. Aleksandar Nallini 1880 1882 Autonomist Party Imperial commissioner. Emil Ragazzini 1882 1882 Autonomist Party Imperial commissioner. Dujam Rendić-Miočević 1834–1915 1882 1885 People's Party Resigned due to conflict with Gajo Filomen Bulat. Gajo Filomen Bulat 1836–1900 1885 1893 People's Party 20 1840–1919 1893 1897 21 1844–1922 1897 1899 First mayor from the Katalinić family. 22 1833–1910 1900 1906 23 Ante Trumbić 1864–1938 1906 1907 Croatian Party 24 1861–1911 1907 1911 Served as the inspiration for the mayor character in the Velo Misto series by Miljenko Smoje. 25 1857–1917 1911 1912 First term. Second mayor from the Katalinić family. 26 Teodor Šporn 1879–1953 1912 1913 Imperial commissioner. First term. 27 Vinko Katalinić 1857–1917 1913 1914 Second term. 28 Frane Madirazza 1885–1929 1914 1917 Imperial commissioner. 29 Vicko Niseteo 1917 1917 Acting imperial commissioner. 30 Teodor Šporn 1879–1953 1917 1918 Imperial commissioner. Second term. 31 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
No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note 32 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 Royal commissioner 34 1885–1968 1928 1929 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 Vlado Matošić 1938 1939 Yugoslav Radical Union 39 Ivan Zlatko Vrdoljak 1939 1939 40 Stjepan Spalatin 1939 1940 Josip Brkić 1887–1959 1940 1941 Croatian Peasant Party
World War II
No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note Civil CommissionersItalian occupation 1941–43 Bruno Nardelli April1941 28 April1941 National Fascist Party Antonio Tacconi 1880–1962 28 April1941 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 CommitteeWartime resistance city government 1942–47 Ivo Amulić 1911–1973 6 April1942 15 May1942 Unitary National Liberation Front(coalition) Ivo Tijardović 1895–1976 15 May1942 July1943 Unitary National Liberation Front(coalition) Josip Smodlaka 1869–1956 September1943 October1943 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. Petar Vitezica 1903–1970 October1943 May1944 Unitary National Liberation Front(coalition) Umberto Fabris May1944 25 November1944 Unitary National Liberation Front(coalition) Ante Mrduljaš 25 November1944 25 June1947 Communist Party of Yugoslavia
Federal Yugoslavia
No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office Party Note Marko Šore 1947 1947 Communist Party of Yugoslavia Ivo Raić 1947 1949 Communist Party of Yugoslavia Paško Ninčević 1949 1952 Communist Party of Yugoslavia(renamed in 1952) Ivo Senjanović 1952 1955 League of Communists of Yugoslavia(renamed) 1918–2008 1955 1963 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Presided over the start of large-scale urbanization and expansion of the city. Ante Zelić 1963 1965 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Paved the road network on Marjan hill. 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. 1926–2024 1967 1974 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Presided over major urban expansion projects and the construction of the Split 3 district. 1974 1982 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Presided, along with , over the organization and preparations for the 1979 Mediterranean Games in Split. Dragutin Matošić 1982 1983 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Ante Kovač 1983 1984 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Božidar Papić 1985 1986 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Drago Urličić 1986 1987 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Gordana Kosanović 1987 1990 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Onesin Cvitan1939– 1990 1991 Croatian Democratic Union 1990
Since independence (5) (2) (1) (1)
(1) (1)
No. Mayor Lifespan Term of office—Electoralmandate Party Note 1932– 1991 1993 Croatian Democratic Union — Nikola Grabić1938– 1993 1997 Croatian Social Liberal Party Switched political party mid-term. — Croatian Democratic Union 65 1944– 1997 2001 Croatian Social Liberal Party Elected to the Croatian Parliament in 2003. — 1945–2020 2002 2003 Social Democratic Party — 1952– 2003 2005 Liberal Party — 1947–2009 2005 2007 Croatian Democratic Union Resigned after confrontations with the Velo Misto List coalition partner. 2005 Ivan Kuret1971– 17 July 2007 1 June 2009 Croatian Democratic Union Continuation of the previous term; appointed following the resignation of his predecessor. — Željko Kerum1960– 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 Ivo Baldasar1958– 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 2017Independent — Andro Krstulović Opara1967– 14 June 2017 7 June 2021 Croatian Democratic Union 2017 Ivica Puljak1969– 7 June 2021 8 April 2022 CentreResigned 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 2022IndependentActing mayor until new is elected.— Ivica Puljak1969– 15 July 2022 9 June 2025 CentreFirst mayor ever to win reelection in Split. 2022 Tomislav Šuta1982–9 June 2025 Croatian Democratic Union 2025
See also Split Dalmatia Split-Dalmatia County Elections in Croatia
References