Maurizio Cotta is Emeritus professor at the University of Siena. He held visiting professorships at the University of Texas at Austin, the European University Institute, and the Central European University, and was visiting research fellow at the Center for European Studies of Harvard University. Author of several books and articles on Political Institutions, Party Government (2000), Democratic Representation and Political Eliteshas coordinate the EU funded projects INTUne(6th FP) and EUENGAGE (Horizon 2020).