Former Uffizi director under fire for joining race to be Florence mayor

If elected, Eike Schmidt would form a coalition with Brothers of Italy in what could be a major blow for the left

The German-born former director of Florence’s world-famous Uffizi gallery has come under fire for his decision to run for mayor of the city with the far right coalition that governs Italy, in what could be a major blow for the left.

If elected, Eike Schmidt – who has been credited for modernising the Uffizi – pledged to tackle problems such as security and over-tourism in the Tuscan capital, which for more than three decades has been a left wing stronghold.