Luigi Brugnaro

Luigi Brugnaro, mayor of Venice from 2015 to 2026, faces active legal proceedings involving corruption and electoral finance violations. Regarding the Operation Palude investigation, prosecutors have requested the indictment of Brugnaro, his former chief of staff Morris Ceron, and former deputy chief of staff Derek Donadini on charges of corruption. The case centers on allegations that Brugnaro used his public office to advance private interests, specifically regarding the sale of the Pili area—which he owned—and the sale of the city-owned Palazzo Papadopoli to Singaporean magnate Ching Chiat Kwong. Prosecutors allege that the palazzo's valuation was artificially lowered to facilitate the deal, while the Pili area development sought increased building capacity. The city of Venice and the Metropolitan City have been admitted as civil parties in the case, seeking 4 million euros in damages. Separately, Brugnaro has been indicted on charges of violating electoral finance laws related to his 2020 reelection campaign. He is accused of exceeding the legal campaign spending limit by approximately 300,000 euros and falsifying public documents. Prosecutors allege that campaign expenses were obscured through "opaque" funding from companies associated with his business interests. Trial for this case is scheduled for September 21, 2026. Brugnaro maintains his innocence regarding all charges, arguing that his business interests were placed in a blind trust to avoid conflicts of interest. His defense team has challenged the validity of the investigation, alleging procedural irregularities by the prosecution.