Center-right's Venturini wins Venice mayoral race in first round, dealing blow to left

Election outcome

Simone Venturini, the center-right candidate, won the mayoral election in Venice on 25 May 2026, securing 53% of the vote and avoiding a runoff. His main opponent, Andrea Martella, senator for the Democratic Party (PD), trailed at 37%. The result ensures the center-right retains control of the historic lagoon city, continuing the administration legacy of outgoing mayor Luigi Brugnaro.

Venturini's personal list—nicknamed the "yellow list," drawing from Brugnaro's fuchsia civic list—became the city's leading political force, earning over 30% of the vote. The first-round victory defied both polls and widespread expectations of a tight race, with media reports having painted Venturini as the underdog.

Political reactions

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Venturini directly to congratulate him, saying, "Wait for me, I'm coming to visit you. I'm really happy." She later posted on X, replying to a May 22 article from La Repubblica that had quoted opposition leader Elly Schlein closing Martella's campaign: "From here we send Meloni home." Meloni's curt response: "Good."

And also today, the much-announced collapse of the center-right we postpone to tomorrow.

Venturini, speaking to reporters, welcomed the prime minister's support: "I told her I await her in Venice very soon. She congratulated me and invited me to celebrate—I said I had to celebrate twice because today is also my wedding anniversary."

Candidates and campaign

A 38-year-old former scout and law graduate, Venturini had served as a city assessor under Brugnaro for over a decade. He campaigned on a platform of pragmatic governance, focusing on balancing tourism and residency, requalifying the mainland district of Mestre, and strengthening the port. "I want to be the mayor of everyone, I want to be a pragmatic mayor, not an ideological one," he declared.

I point to win in the first round with my list at 30 percent, and it went beyond all expectations.

Martella, conceding defeat, lamented that his coalition's message—centered on housing, safety, local services, and protecting the lagoon—failed to reach enough voters. Former mayor Massimo Cacciari criticized the center-left's strategy: "It was difficult to imagine such a heavy debacle. The abstention seems to have hit especially the youth, who didn't recognize themselves in Martella's candidacy."

National significance

The result was widely interpreted as a boost for the national center-right coalition ahead of future parliamentary elections. Venturini noted the importance of close ties with Rome and the Veneto Region, where Governor Alberto Stefani also attended his victory party. Commentators pointed out that the left's heavy emphasis on courting the Bengali community may have backfired in a city with a strong sense of local identity.

Venturini, sworn in as the youngest mayor of Venice in recent memory, promised to work every day to tackle the city's complex challenges, from depopulation to overtourism.