He headed the Uffizi. Can he run Florence?

Schmidt is not a typical right-wing candidate. In an interview with the Roman daily La Repubblica last month, Schmidt described himself as a moderate, a distinction that would appeal to centrist voters, emphasizing that he was and remained “anti-fascist” and “anti-Nazi.”

Brothers of Italy, the party Schmidt would run for, was born from the wreckage of Italy’s failed experiment with fascism, but its current leader, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has firmly distanced herself from the fascist roots of the party. “He is an anomalous candidate when it comes to the coalition that would support him,” said Alessandro Chiaramonte, a professor of political science at the University of Florence, adding that typical voters are less likely to vote for “a multilingual man of culture,” like Schmidt. But, Chiaramonte added, “that may be what appeals to undecided and centrist voters.”

During his eight years at the Uffizi, Schmidt skillfully built a public profile, regularly finding himself in the spotlight by weighing in on public debates. When vandals damaged part of the Uffizi Museum Overlooking the Arno River last summer, Schmidt quickly condemned the act and called for harsh retaliation. ‘Enough with symbolic punishments and nice extenuating circumstances! We need the strong fist of the law here,” he said in a statement. He then hired armed guards to guard the museum’s outdoor areas during off-hours.

Schmidt also took to social media, posing with celebrities and influencers who visited the museum in front of famous works from the collection. The consensus is that he led the Uffizi well, renovating many of the galleries and strengthening the museum’s name.

“The added value for the right is that he has great management capabilities,” says Simona Poli, who reports on Florentine politics for La Repubblica. She pointed out that Schmidt had openly attacked Florence’s center-left mayor, Dario Nardella, in recent months on a number of issues, including security. “It was almost like sending a message: ‘If I were in his place, I would do better,’” Poli said.