In 2018, Persiani ran for mayor of Massa, supported by the
centre-right coalition formed by Lega,
Forza Italia, and
Brothers of Italy. After finishing second in the first round with 28.18% of the votes, he won in the runoff on 24 June 2018 with 56.62% of the votes, defeating the
centre-left coalition outgoing mayor
Alessandro Volpi, and becoming the first
right-wing mayor of Massa in the
history of the Italian Republic and the first centre-right coalition candidate since the introduction of direct elections. He took office on 26 June 2018. On 1 March 2023, Persiani was ousted by the city council with 19 votes in favour, including four votes coming from Brothers of Italy members, and was therefore forced to resign from the office of mayor two days later. Having run again with the support of the centre-right coalition except for Brothers of Italy, he was re-elected as mayor of Massa in the second round with 54.36%, beating his centre-left coalition challenger Enzo Ricci. == See also ==