Born in Empoli on June 30, 1959, and residing in Sesto Fiorentino. He holds a degree in Law from the University of Florence and is married to Angela, father of Gabriele and young Lorenzo. 

He was elected to the City Council of Florence in 1990, serving over time as the president of the Commission for the elaboration of the statute and later as an assessor multiple times, covering various areas such as Mobility, Public Works, Sports, Florentine popular traditions, Toponymy, International Relations, and finally Culture from September 2008 to June 2009. 

 He served as the president of the City Council of Florence, having received the highest number of votes among councilors in the municipal elections of 2009. A man of culture and a history enthusiast, he has held positions such as President of the Stibbert Museum, president of the “Museo dei Ragazzi” association, president of the Regional Federation of Historical Games, President of the Società Dantesca Italiana, President of the Dante’s House Museum, and President of the Friends of Museums. 

 He is the author of numerous essays and books on various sports and cultural topics. One notable book is “Firenze e la Fiorentina,” in which the author takes us through the unprecedented events that he experienced during the critical moments of the Viola Club, culminating in the 2002 bankruptcy and the subsequent reconstruction of the club, of which he was a founder along with the then Mayor of Florence, Leonardo Domenici, before its sale to the Della Valle group. He also co-authored the volume “Festività Fiorentine” with Luciano Artusi and Anita Valentini, “Il Corteo della Repubblica Fiorentina” with Luca Giannelli, and “Il centocinquantesimo anniversario del plebiscito in Toscana per l’unità d’Italia” (March 11-12, 1860) with the historian Anita Valentini. In 2012, he published “Firenze Giorno per Giorno” with the publisher Polistampa, followed by his latest volume, “La Toscana Giorno per Giorno,” in December 2018. 

 He was first elected to the Regional Council in the regional elections on March 28 and 29, 2010, as a candidate in the Florence constituency on the list of PD-Riformisti toscani. Re-elected in the 2015 elections, he served as the President of the Regional Council of Tuscany from June 25, 2015. 

 He is a member of the Partito Dermocratico. 

 Being committed to the world of sports, he has held the following positions: Provincial Delegate of CONI Florence, a position he has held since 2017; member of the CONI National Council, a position confirmed in 2017; Vice President of AONI (Accademia Olimpica Nazionale Italiana); and Honorary President of FAE (Federazione Atletica Europea), the European Athletics Federation. 

 In the regional elections on September 20 and 21, 2020, he ran as a candidate for the presidency on the lists of Europa Verde Progressista Civica, Italia Viva +Europa, Orgoglio Toscana per Giani Presidente, Partito Democratico, Sinistra Civica Ecologista, and Svolta!. He was elected with over 860,000 votes, representing 48.63% of the total.