The digital transformation of cities is frequently narrated through the vocabulary of technology—platforms, sensors, artificial intelligence, digital twins, interoperable systems, and connected infrastructure—yet such a perspective, while partially accurate, often obscures the most decisive force behind meaningful urban change. At the deepest level, the true driver of transformation is not technology itself, but the quality, vision, and continuity of public leadership capable of guiding cities through structural change. A city does not become intelligent merely because it installs smart devices or deploys data platforms; it becomes truly “smart” when public institutions are able to align technology with long-term urban purpose,…