Italian Decree Allows Renewal of Museum Super Directors

A decree-law from April 24, 2017, introduces a clause permitting the renewal of contracts for Italy's 20 'super directors' of major state museums, who were appointed in August 2015 under Minister Dario Franceschini's reform. The clause, part of Article 22, allows for a single four-year renewal based on positive performance evaluation. This addresses fears that directors might leave after their initial four-year term, as exemplified by Eike Schmidt, director of the Uffizi, who announced his departure to lead Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum in 2020. Enrica Pagella, director of the Musei Reali di Torino, emphasized that the decree should focus on achieving long-term goals rather than merely ensuring director stability. Critics note that the possibility of an eight-year mandate might have attracted more candidates initially. The reform, established by Law 106 of 2014, selected 20 directors (including 7 foreigners) through an international public competition for institutions of 'relevant national interest.' The uncertainty is compounded by Italy's upcoming 2018 political elections.