Florence mayor warns of museum closures amid €190M deficit

Florence mayor Dario Nardella has warned that the city faces a €190 million budget shortfall, threatening the reopening of civic museums and theaters. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Nardella said he may cut public lighting before reducing essential services like care for the elderly and disabled, or charging nursery school fees. He also noted the city cannot guarantee salaries for its 4,100 municipal employees through year-end, needing €15 million monthly. Culture councilor Tommaso Sacchi announced that civic museums will not reopen on May 18, the expected national date, citing high operating costs and minimal attendance without international tourists. Partial weekend opening of just three museums would cost €500,000 per month and a half. Sacchi, also president of the Fondazione teatro della Toscana, said theaters under the foundation will remain closed due to sanitization costs (€40,000 extra monthly) and reduced seating capacity. The crisis stems from the collapse of tourism, which previously funded cultural spaces through taxes and visitor spending.