Florence's Mayoral Position Transferred to a New German Candidate
The aspiration of the museum director venturing into politics has crumbled. In the second round of elections for Florence's mayor, German contender Eike Schmidt fell short of winning the city hall. Yesterday and today, the long-time director of the Uffizi Museum challenged the mayoral race against Sara Funaro from the Social Democrats. According to the numbers released by the election commission, Funaro secured 60.6% of the votes, while Schmidt obtained 39.4%.
With Funaro, Florence will soon have its first female mayor. According to news reports, she dedicated her election triumph to her grandfather Piero Bargellini, who was a mayor of Florence in the 1960s. He is fondly remembered for saving residents and priceless artworks during a disastrous flood in Florence in November 1966, which led to several casualties.
Schmidt ran under a citizen's list with backing from the conservative camp. The 360,000-resident city typically leans towards the left, which is why Funaro was perceived as having better odds. Schmidt centered on subjects like security and countering mass tourism in his campaign. Incumbent mayor Dario Nardella from the Social Democrats was not eligible for another term as per the city's rules.
Schmidt's campaign received support from the coalition headed by Minister President Giorgia Meloni. Her party, Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy), has roots in the post-fascist movement. Schmidt had been leading the Uffizi, one of the world's foremost art museums, for eight years. Since January, he has been in charge of the Museum Capodimonte in Naples. Currently, he is on leave. Schmidt had stated prior to the election that he would return to his post in case of defeat.
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In contrast to Florence's political shift, the right-wing Fratelli d'Italia party, led by Minister President Giorgia Meloni, expressed support for Eike Schmidt's mayoral campaign. Despite the majority-left lean of Tuscany, Italy, Schmidt's focus on security and controlling mass tourism resonated with some voters. Following his defeat, Schmidt had planned to return to his position as director of the Museum Capodimonte in Naples.
