Citizens elect also the members of the city council, which also controls the mayor's policy guidelines and is able to enforce his resignation by a motion of no confidence.

The mayor is entitled to appoint and release the members of his government.

The Fascist dictatorship abolished mayors and city councils in 1926, replacing them with an authoritarian Podestà chosen by the National Fascist Party: From 1946 to 1993, the mayor of Palermo was chosen by the city council.

Since 1993, under provisions of new local administration law, the mayor of Palermo is chosen by direct election, originally every four, and later every five years.

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