François Picard is pleased to welcome Venice's new mayor, Simone Venturini, just 38 years old and one month into office. He offers a unique governing philosophy rooted in balancing contradictions rather than embracing absolutes. His central argument is that Venice cannot be understood merely as an open-air museum threatened by mass tourism, nor simply as a global cultural icon. Instead, he portrays it as a living, breathing city that must simultaneously preserve its fragile heritage, remain open to international exchange, and reinvent its economic future.
Mayor Venturini rejects symbolic politics in favour of pragmatic governance. Whether discussing Russia's participation in the Venice Biennale, controversial tourist access fees or the arrival of billionaire superyachts. For him, public debate often focuses on emotionally charged symbols while overlooking practical realities and long-term structural challenges.
His broader vision is of Venice that of a laboratory for managing overtourism, a diplomatic bridge between East and West, and an emerging centre for technology and innovation.
He seeks to attract a "slower kind of tourism". Venturini insists that Venice is a "fragile city, a unique city that needs respect”, but still encourages people to visit – though he says he is determined to phase out fast tourism and the culture of day trippers.
