Local elections in Italy are usually scheduled between 15 April and 15 June, however on 4 March 2021 the Italian government decided to postpone them to the autumn following a new spike of cases in the coronavirus pandemic.

The semipresidential voting system is used for all mayoral elections in Italy, in the cities with a population higher than 15,000 inhabitants, for the seventh time.

[4] Sala announced that he would present his electoral program and the lists of his coalition before the end of January,[5] ruling out a possible alliance with the Five Star Movement (M5S).

[6] Sala also sought a reconciliation with Green Europe after the rupture following the cutting of the trees in the Bassini Park to make way for a new department of chemistry for the Politecnico di Milano.

[8] Monica Romano, a municipal councillor of the Democratic Party, became the first trans woman elected to political office in Milan in 2021.