Who runs local government in San Marino?
San Marino is divided into nine castelli (townships), each with an elected Township Council (Giunta di Castello) headed by a Capitano di Castello. Their powers are small: they mainly give opinions, organise local events and do minor maintenance, and they spend less than 1% of public money. Almost everything is decided centrally.
Republic of San Marino · Unitary parliamentary republic (two Captains Regent as joint heads of state) · Southern Europe
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Castelli (9): Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Città di San Marino, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, Serravalle | Capitano di Castello (township head) and Giunta members directly elected every five years (last 23 November 2025); voters choose a list and its Capitano candidate, plus up to two preference votes | Opinions (some binding) on local projects, street naming, local traditions, minor maintenance, proposals to central government. |
Three questions about local power in San Marino
Are local leaders elected?
Capitani and Giunta members are directly elected; since 2020 foreign residents can vote in these elections.
Which laws set up local government?
There is no single written constitution; the Law on Township Councils (Law no. 158 of 24 September 2020) recognises local self-government and subsidiarity.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Voters; central agencies have the final say on most local decisions; detailed state supervision, which the Council of Europe called excessive.
Traditional and customary authority
No customary authority. The state's institutions themselves are very old (the Statutes of 1600 are still part of the constitutional order), and the Catholic Church has a strong cultural role, but neither gives anyone local power outside the law.
Community and neighbourhood power
Township councils rely heavily on volunteers and civic associations to carry out local work. Local festivals and parish life are organised by informal community groups.
Points to know
- In 2023 total state transfers to all nine township councils were about €345,000, half shared equally and half by population.
- Councils have no professional staff of their own, so elected members do the work.
- A person cannot be both a township head or councillor and a member of the national Great and General Council.
Local terms
- Castello
- A township, one of nine local areas.
- Giunta di Castello
- The elected township council.
- Capitano di Castello
- The elected head of a township council.
Sources
- Elezioni Giunte di Castello 23 novembre 2025 – Come si vota, Ufficio Elettorale di Stato, Republic of San Marino, checked 14 October 2026
- Giunte di Castello, Segreteria di Stato per gli Affari Interni, Republic of San Marino, checked 14 October 2026
- San Marino: monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Recommendation 522 (2025)), Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CARTA-MONITOR), checked 14 October 2026
See also: San Marino's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.