Typologies of Local Government Systems -- ‘From the Few are Chosen the Few...’ On the Social Background of European Mayors -- The Mayor’s Political Career -- Gendered Roads to Mayorship in Different Welfare States -- Does Recruitment Matter? Selecting Path and Role Definition -- Mayors, Citizens and Local Democracy -- Aspects of Leadership Styles: An Interaction of Context and Personalities -- Urban Systems as Growth Machines? Mayors’ Governing Networks against Global Indeterminacy -- Mayors in Vertical Power Relations -- Divided Loyalties? Mayors between Party Representation and Local Community Interests -- Duo or Duel? The Relations between Mayors and Councils in Democratic Local Government -- Mayors and Local Administrators: A Puzzling Relationship -- Political Complexity or Managerial Simplicity? Mayoral Norms of Organisational Leadership -- European Mayors and Administrative Reforms -- Strong Mayors? On Direct Election and Political Entrepreneurship.