‘Venice is beautiful, but inside there is a struggle’: Bangladeshi candidates eye historic breakthrough
Seven Bangladeshi-Italian candidates stand for Venice’s council as community faces far-right hostility – while voters demand an end to overtourism and neglect
TL;DR
- Seven candidates of Bangladeshi origin are competing for seats on Venice's council, potentially marking a historic political breakthrough for the community.
- The candidates have faced racist and sexist comments online, with some receiving hateful messages targeting their origins.
- Far-right politicians have engaged in inflammatory rhetoric, spreading fear by falsely suggesting the candidates plan to change Venice's rules and ruin the city.
- The election campaign is also focused on pressing local issues such as overtourism, the housing crisis, strained social services, and security.
- A win for the center-left would end 11 years of conservative rule and could signal a shift in the national political landscape.