Strong Mayors and Leadership Capital

Examining how local leadership has evolved by comparing the mayoralties of New York, London, and Amsterdam, this book uniquely focuses on Michael Bloomberg (2002–2014), Ken Livingstone (2000–2008), Boris Johnson (2008–2016), and Job Cohen (2001–2010) to reveal the cultural and operational contrasts that shaped their approaches to governance. Drawing on the Leadership Capital Index (LCI) - a recent innovation in political leadership studies, Stafford offers a fresh perspective on the strong-mayor model, not only evaluating the strengths and limitations of the LCI but also advancing the debate on what makes effective urban leadership. Original and insightful, this book redefines how we understand mayors as pivotal political actors.