Local responses to the threats of dramatic crises: do institutional leaders make a difference, and if so, how?

This study examines the complexity of disaster response management and the role of local institutional leadership. Drawing on a comparative analysis of the May 2023 floods in two Emilia-Romagna provinces in Italy, it explores how local leadership influences the outcomes of crisis management within a shared institutional and hazard context. Using local press reports, municipal ordinances, and interviews with key figures, the study reconstructs the decision-making processes involved and identifies critical leadership practices. The findings demonstrate that differences in preparedness, coordination, and post-event trajectories are significantly impacted by the experience and professional background of leaders, as well as their capacity to make decisions in circumstances characterised by uncertainty and time pressure. By isolating leadership practices under constant structural conditions, the study makes a valuable contribution to disaster research by specifying how local agency shapes responses and learning in multi-level disaster governance. It highlights, in particular, the importance of investing in local leadership development to strengthen municipal disaster management capacities.