Milan mayor Beppe Sala at a crossroads: navigating scandals, political divisions, and an uncertain future

Milan’s political landscape is currently dominated by a swirling urban planning scandal, placing Mayor Giuseppe “Beppe” Sala at its epicenter. His leadership is under intense scrutiny, sparking questions about his political future, particularly whether he will resign, his increasingly strained relationship with the Democratic Party (PD), and the overall effectiveness of his administration amid these controversies.

The urban planning scandal: allegations of favouritism and “Deviated Urban Management”

At the heart of the crisis is an investigation into Milan’s urban planning, which prosecutors describe as an opaque system rife with personal relationships and favouritism, allegedly benefiting elite private interests. This inquiry involves high-profile figures, including Giancarlo Tancredi, the Councillor for Urban Regeneration, who is under investigation for corruption, false statements, and undue inducement, and is facing a request for house arrest. Also implicated are Giuseppe Marinoni, former president of the Landscape Commission, and “archistar” Stefano Boeri.

The “Pirellino” case exemplifies the alleged misconduct. This building, formerly municipal offices, was sold by the Comune to Coima, a company led by Manfredi Catella. The original price was set based on an office destination. However, if the building’s use were changed to luxury residences, the value would significantly increase, potentially causing substantial financial damage to the Comune due to lost revenue. Boeri, whose firm was in charge of the renovation, reportedly “warned” Mayor Sala about resistance within the Landscape Commission regarding Coima’s and his requested modifications. Ultimately, these modifications received approval, though the project later stalled. The issue is compounded by a complex legal battle: Coima secured an “order of compliance” from the Council of State to be exempted from building social housing, a decision challenged by critics who argue it could lead to potential financial damage for the Comune. Catella, for his part, contests the prosecution’s claims, stating he will present a “comprehensive defense memory with all objective documentary evidence”.

“Pirellino” Skyscraper from Wikipedia

Another significant case is “Torre Futura” in Via Calvino. An initial project by architect Andrea Brugnara was rejected by the Landscape Commission. Subsequently, the project was assigned to Alessandro Scandurra’s studio, reportedly with a consultancy fee of 321,000 euros. According to the prosecution, Scandurra’s primary contribution was not design but his “relational” influence, contacting municipal urban planning officials, dialoguing with other commissioners, and guiding project modifications. He would abstain from formal voting but was constantly updated and consulted. Scandurra has denied the accusations, stating he has always kept his personal interests separate from his public role, yet the Guardia di Finanza claims he received 3.3 million euros in consultancies from entities linked to projects reviewed by the Commission. The sources depict a “consolidated system” where a small group of architects, including Scandurra, Marinoni, and Giovanni Oggioni, alternate between public roles and private assignments, sometimes judging projects from colleagues they collaborate with or receiving assignments from beneficiaries of Commission decisions. Prominent names in Italian real estate and architecture are also implicated, such as Federico Pella, Antonio Citterio, Patricia Viel, and Paolo Colombo.

The “Green Model” flop: Forestami

Sala’s administration has also faced severe criticism over Forestami, a project meant to reforest the city that is instead described as a “green fig leaf” covering Milan’s cementification policies. Maurizio Belpietro, in his column, accuses Sala and Boeri of a “green deception” and “money thrown away for dead trees.” Despite grandiose goals of planting millions of trees, only 20% of those planted are within the city’s communal territory, with the rest relegated to the periphery or neighbouring municipalities. Central Milan’s reforestation remains “a mirage.”

Transparency regarding plant survival is lacking, with Forestami reporting over 611,000 trees planted but failing to specify how many died due to droughts or storms. In some areas, up to 80% of seedlings died within two years due to design and maintenance failures, such as absent irrigation. The Foundation collected nearly 5.5 million euros, with 2.29 million from ministerial funds, yet questions persist about the survival rates and planting methods. This contrasts sharply with Boeri’s stated average cost per tree of 30 euros (including five years of maintenance), a figure experts find “surreal” compared to industry estimates of 150-250 euros or public tender costs in other cities.

Adding to the woes, Milan experiences “unbearable” heat, with up to 15-degree differences between tree-lined and non-tree-lined streets. The Comune’s response, like wooden pergolas on asphalt, is seen as “scenography instead of solutions”. Citizens have even formed spontaneous initiatives like #BagnaMi to save trees, and Facebook groups question the project’s efficacy. The city also lacks an updated tree census or “clinical record” for monitoring. Internal political tensions within Forestami were exposed through WhatsApp exchanges between Boeri and Sala, revealing friction over appointments and economic opportunities related to EU funds.

Mayor Sala’s predicament: Will He resign?

Beppe Sala finds himself at a critical juncture, facing what is described as his “last stage,” caught between the judicial investigation and the demands of his own party. His silence on a recent Saturday, dedicated to “reflection,” underscored the gravity of his situation, with speculation rife about his resignation.

The PD, particularly under the leadership of Elly Schlein, has offered him a lukewarm endorsement, conditioned on “innovation and change” and a “net shift” in urban planning policies. Sala, however, reportedly demanded unequivocal support from the PD regarding the sale of the San Siro stadium to Inter and Milan as a precondition for continuing his mandate. This issue is pressing, with a deadline of November 10 for a 70-year bond on the second “red” ring of the stadium, after which it would be protected and thus unable to be demolished.

Sala’s journey to the mayoralty has been unique. He is a “manager turned politician,” a “Bocconi” graduate whose career began in corporate leadership at Pirelli and Telecom Italia. He was co-opted into politics by Matteo Renzi, an “anomalous” left-wing figure, and became the City Manager under a right-wing mayor before becoming a “Renzi-style” PD mayor. This background sets him apart from the current “anti-development” and “poor-ism” rhetoric of Schlein’s PD and its allies like the Five Star Movement (M5S) and Green Left Alliance (Avs), who view him as a “class enemy” and a “refuse of Renzi-ism”. This ideological clash has created deep divisions within his own coalition, making it difficult for him to govern with a strong majority.

Support for Sala is limited, primarily coming from Lombardy Governor Attilio Fontana, who believes resigning over an “avviso di garanzia” (notice of investigation) is wrong and would harm Milan’s economy. However, the Lega’s Silvia Sardone argues that merely removing Tancredi is insufficient, stating that Sala “no longer has a majority to support him on the big choices for the future of the city”.

A Government perceived as a failure

Critics from across the political spectrum view Sala’s administration as a failure, particularly concerning urban development and quality of life in Milan. The city is accused of being blocked, lacking new quality projects (with CityLife and Porta Nuova attributed to Gabriele Albertini’s previous administration), and characterized by “depressing tactical urbanism squares” and repeated bike path renovations. The mayor’s “radical chic urban regeneration” is seen by some as merely “poured cement covered by rhetoric.”

The most profound impact, however, falls on ordinary citizens. The judicial “earthquake” has left 4,500 families “suspended,” trapped in a limbo with their housing projects blocked. These are not just “rich” investors but middle-class families who invested their savings, facing significant economic and psychological consequences. The city, they lament, is becoming “increasingly unlivable” due to rising prices and limited alternatives.

Furthermore, there are growing concerns about Milan’s international credibility, particularly in light of the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics, with projects like the Olympic Village at Porta Romana and the Santa Giulia arena facing delays due to the ongoing investigations. The “Salva-Milano” law, proposed to address urban planning issues, was blocked by the left, further exacerbating the problems. This multifaceted crisis suggests that Sala’s “model Milan” has failed to deliver on its promises for equitable development and is primarily serving speculative interests.

Sala’s involvement: beyond mere oversight

Sala’s involvement in the scandal is not light. He is explicitly investigated for “false declarations on personal qualities or those of other people” related to Giuseppe Marinoni, the former head of the Landscape Commission. Intercepted WhatsApp messages between Sala and Boeri reveal an “anomalous relationship,” with Boeri acting as a “shadow mayor,” offering advice on everything from public works to political campaigns and even suggesting ways to handle the judiciary. One message in particular, where Boeri alerts Sala to potential resistance from Coima and suggests Sala “intervene on Marinoni,” highlights the alleged pressure tactics. The investigation points to a pattern of Sala’s administration seeking “quiet living with the judiciary”.

The current situation is seen as a “dramatic game of knife fights on the left” and the “liquidation of the last piece of reformism left on the left”. While some argue that his actions, such as the prolonged indecision on the San Siro stadium, have directly led to the city’s current stagnation, others suggest that the issue isn’t outright corruption but rather a “subservience to the intellectual arrogance of big names,” framing it as a political rather than a criminal problem. The outcome of this “political calvary” remains uncertain, but the path ahead for Beppe Sala is undoubtedly “paved with obstacles as high as skyscrapers”.