Syndics

Syndic (Late Latin: syndicus; Greek: σύνδικος, sýndikos – one who helps in a court of justice, an advocate, representative) is a term applied in certain countries to an officer of government with varying powers, and secondly to a representative or delegate of a university, institution or other corporation, entrusted with special functions or powers.

The meaning which underlies both applications is that of representative or delegate. Du Cange (Gloss, s.v. Syndicus), after defining the word as defensor, patronus, advocatus, proceeds "Syndici maxime appellantur Actores universitatum, collegiorum, societatum et aliorum corporum, per quos, tanquam in republica quod communiter agi fierive oportet, agitur et fit," and gives several examples from the 13th century of the use of the term. The most familiar use of syndic in the first sense is that of the Italian sindaco, who is the head of the administration of a comune, comparable to a mayor, and a government official, elected by the residents of commune.

As indicated above, in Italy and parts of Switzerland, the term sindaco or sindaca is equivalent to the English term mayor, in this case, the head of the administration of a comune.

In areas where Catalan or Occitan are spoken, the term has been used since Medieval times. At present it is used in a variety of cases. The president of Andorra's parliament is known as the Síndic General or General Councillor. Until the 1993 Constitution, the Síndic was the effective head of government of Andorra. Similarly, the Sindic d'Aran / Síndic d'Aran (in Occitan and Catalan, respectively) is the head of the administration of this small region (Vall d'Aran) in Catalonia. In Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Country, the Síndic de Greuges or Síndica de Greuges ("advocate of grievances") is the ombudsman or ombudswoman, while the Síndic de Comptes or Síndica de Comptes is a board member of the Public Audit Office in each of the three regions. In the Valencian Parliament, the spokesperson or speaker of a parliamentary group is called a síndic or síndica, and together they form the Junta de Síndics (Board of Spokespersons), while in the Horta de València region (the area around the city of Valencia), a síndic is also a member of the Water Tribunal (Tribunal de les Aigües), the body in charge of regulating irrigation matters. In Alguer, Sardinia, the síndic is the equivalent of mayor.

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