Giuseppe Sala

The election took place on 6–7 February 2016 and Sala won with 25,600 and 42.3% of the vote.

On 16 December 2016 Sala suspended himself from office after learning that he was named in an investigation regarding the Expo 2015. He then retired that suspension a few days later.

In 2015 Milan hosted the Universal Exposition; the themes were technology, innovation, culture and traditions concerning food. Participants in the Expo included 145 countries, three international organisations, several civil society organisations, several corporations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The participants were hosted inside individual or grouped pavilions. In June 2010 Sala was appointed CEO of the Expo, which led to the nickname "Mr. Expo" in the following years.

The opening of the Expo on 1 May 2015 was marred by protest from anti-austerity activists, black bloc, and anarchists which caused criminal damage, resulting in the police using tear gas.

On 22 March 2015, the incumbent mayor of Milan, Giuliano Pisapia, announced that he had chosen not to run for re-election in 2016 for a second term in office. Following Pisapia's decision, the ruling center-left coalition decided to call an open primary election to choose a new single mayoral candidate.

Giuseppe "Beppe" Sala (born 28 May 1958) is an Italian manager and politician. He was CEO of the 2015 Universal Exposition in Milan from June 2010 to December 2015. Afterwards, he was chosen as the centre-left coalition candidate for Mayor of Milan in the 2016 municipal election, which he won, becoming mayor on 21 June 2016.