Elections in Veneto

Veneto

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Politics and government of
Veneto




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This page gathers the results of elections in Veneto.

Contents

Electoral history

Veneto has always been deeply Catholic, but was also an early stronghold of the Radical Party and the Italian Socialist Party.[1] In 1919, in the first election with male universal suffrage, the Catholic Italian People's Party won 42.6% of the vote and the Italian Socialist Party 36.2%.[2] After World War II, Veneto was a stronghold of Christian Democracy, which was by far the largest party, successively won all the elections from 1946 to 1992 and continously held the helm of the Regional Government from its establishment in 1970 to 1993. In 1994 the party was disbanded and its main successor, the new Italian People's Party, was much weaker.

In the 1980s Veneto saw the rise of Venetian nationalism and Liga Veneta, a regionalist party which was a founding member of Lega Nord in 1991. Liga Veneta almost replaced Christian Democracy in its heartlands, but was not able to gain regional power. In fact, since 1995, Christian Democracy's hegemony was replaced by that of the centre-right Pole/House of Freedoms coalition and especially Forza Italia, whose regional leader Giancarlo Galan was President of the Region for 15 years. After a decline in term of votes, in 2010 Liga Veneta gained control of the Regional Government with Luca Zaia as President and the support of The People of Freedom, a broad centre-right party resulted from the merger of Forza Italia and National Alliance.

The provincial breakdown of selected election results is shown in the tables below.


1946 general election

The 1946 general election was the first after the return of democracy. Christian Democracy (DC) was by far the largest party (49.5%) and was especially strong in the provinces of Vicenza (61.1%), Padua (55.7%) and Treviso (53.5%). The Italian Socialist Party (PSI) came second (26.7%) and was stronger in the provinces of Rovigo (35.7%), Verona (33.3%) and Belluno (28.7%). The Italian Communist Party (PCI) was a distant third (13.6%), but came second in Rovigo (28.5%), where the parties of the left gained a large majority (56.5%). Rovigo, the southernmost province, was influenced by nearby "red" Emilia-Romagna.

Province DC PSI PCI
Verona 48.8 33.3 10.5
Vicenza 61.1 24.1 8.1
Padua 55.7 23.2 12.8
Treviso 53.5 21.1 8.5
Belluno 51.7 28.7 10.1
Venice 40.3 26.2 21.1
Rovigo 28.0 35.7 28.5
Veneto 49.5 26.7 13.6

Source: Regional Council of Veneto


1948 general election

The 1948 general election was a triumph for DC, which won a thumping 60.5% throughout Veneto. The party did better in its traditional strongholds, Vicenza (71.8%), Padua (65.4%) and Treviso (64.9%). The PSI and the PCI, which formed a joint list named Popular Democratic Front (FDP), won just 23.9% of the vote. Apart from Rovigo, where the FDP gained 48.2%, many Socialist votes went to DC and the Italian Democratic Socialist Party (PSDI), an outfit formed by those Socialists who had been opposed to the alliance with the Communists. The PSDI garnered 10.1% of the vote at the regional level and was stronger in Belluno (15.9%), Treviso (12.6%) and Verona (10.1%).

Province DC PSDI FDP
Verona 62.4 10.1 22.3
Vicenza 71.8 9.0 13.9
Padua 65.4 7.6 21.9
Treviso 64.9 12.6 15.2
Belluno 61.1 15.9 15.7
Venice 50.6 9.8 34.4
Rovigo 38.4 9.6 48.2
Veneto 60.5 10.1 23.9

Source: Regional Council of Veneto


1953 general election

In the 1953 general election DC lost some ground, however gaining a convincing 53.4% of the vote (62.2% in Vicenza, 59.9% in Treviso and 59.6% in Padua). The PSI and the PCI ran separate lists, gaining 14.6 and 14.2% of the vote. Veneto was thus one of the few regions of Italy where the Socialists were stronger than the PCI, even without counting the PSDI (5.6%). The PSI got its best results in the provinces of Venice (21.6%), Rovigo (19.8%) and Verona (18.2%), but not in the traditional Socialist stronghold of Belluno, where it was passed by the PSDI (12.3 against 11.0%). The PCI was stronger in Rovigo (28.2%) and Venice (19.7%).

Province DC PSDI PSI PCI
Verona 53.4 4.7 18.2 10.8
Vicenza 62.2 4.4 9.2 9.4
Padua 59.6 4.0 11.1 14.2
Treviso 59.9 8.0 11.9 8.6
Belluno 53.7 12.3 11.3 11.6
Venice 43.2 6.0 21.6 19.7
Rovigo 39.6 4.6 19.8 28.2
Veneto 53.4 5.6 14.6 14.2

Source: Regional Council of Veneto


1970 regional election

Election results were quite stable for four decades. In the 1970 regional election, the first after the establishment of Veneto as a Region, DC was by far the largest party with 51.8%. As usual, its strongholds included the provinces of Vicenza (64.2%), Padua (56.3%) and Treviso (56.0%). Up to that time the PCI had passed the PSI as second largest party: in 1970 the former garnered 16.8%, the second 10.4% and the PSDI 7.6%. Rovigo was the most left-wing province (the sum of PCI and PSI was 42.3%), followed by Venice (39.2%), and Belluno the most Socialist one (the sum of PSDI and PSI was 27.9%), followed by Treviso (20.6%).

Province DC PSDI PSI PCI
Verona 52.7 7.4 11.7 14.0
Vicenza 64.2 6.4 8.4 9.1
Padua 56.3 6.3 7.2 16.3
Treviso 56.0 10.0 10.6 11.3
Belluno 46.9 13.9 14.0 13.0
Venice 38.4 6.7 12.6 26.6
Rovigo 41.0 6.9 10.5 31.8
Veneto 51.8 7.6 10.4 16.8

Source: Regional Council of Veneto


1990 regional election

Since 1980 DC experienced a steady decline in term of votes, largely due to the rise of Liga Veneta (LV) and other Venetist parties. In the 1990 regional election DC was still the largest party of Veneto (42.4%), but suffered the competition of LV in its heartlands. Venetist parties were fairly strong in Vicenza (11.4%) and Verona (10.8%), while the PSI and the PCI retained their strongholds (Belluno with 23.8% and Rovigo with 29.0%, respectively). Both Rovigo and Venice had PCI–PSI majorities.

Province DC LV* PSI PCI
Verona 44.3 10.8 14.2 11.5
Vicenza 49.1 11.4 10.1 8.6
Padua 46.1 6.4 10.7 16.3
Treviso 44.5 7.8 14.1 12.1
Belluno 39.3 7.0 23.8 13.1
Venice 31.7 4.9 15.9 24.2
Rovigo 35.2 3.3 15.5 29.0
Veneto 42.3 7.8 13.7 15.5

* = Including UPV
Source: Regional Council of Veneto.


1992 general election

The 1992 general election was a realigning one in Italy, due to the rise of Lega Nord, a federation of northern regionalist parties of which LV was a founding member. The realignment was especially visible in Veneto, where DC, though still being the largest party, lost almost a third of its voters between 1990 and 1992, stopping at 31.5%. LV gained ground in the Pedemontana, that is to say the provinces at the feet of the mountains, most of which had long been Christian Democratic heartlands: 21.5% in Treviso, 20.6% in Verona and 19.5% in Vicenza. In Belluno LV became the largest party with 27.8%, by reducing the vote of DC and halving that of the PSI. The total score of Venetist parties was 31.8% in Vicenza, 29.3% in Treviso, 27.2% in Verona and 22.9% in Padua. The PDS got just 9.9% regionally, fairly less than the PCI in 1990.

Province DC LV Ven. PSI PDS
Verona 34.0 20.6 6.6 11.1 7.1
Vicenza 34.3 19.5 12.3 7.9 5.6
Padua 34.5 14.8 8.1 9.3 10.5
Treviso 32.9 21.5 7.8 9.7 7.5
Belluno 27.4 27.8 - 14.3 8.0
Venice 23.8 13.4 6.6 13.0 16.2
Rovigo 29.5 8.5 6.1 14.1 18.1
Veneto 31.5 17.8 7.7 10.6 9.9

Ven. = Other Venetists, including LAV, UPV and MVRA.
Source: Regional Council of Veneto


1994 general election

The 1994 general election marked a full-scale realignment in Venetian electoral politics. In 1993–1994 the Tangentopoli scandals led to the disappearance of the main government parties, including DC and the PSI, while the PCI was transformed into the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS). The DC successor, the Italian People's Party (PPI), was not able to retain the votes of its predecessor, which were largely absorbed by LV and Forza Italia, the new party launched by entrepreneur Silvio Berlusconi.

In a highly fragmented party system, FI came first with 23.6%, LV second with 21.6% and the PPI (along with Patto Segni, a small centrist ally) third with 20.2%. Curiously enough FI was stronger in a centre-left province, Venice (26.7%), while LV did better in Belluno (32.4%) and in formerly Christian Democratic heartlands, Treviso (28.5%) and Vicenza (28.1%). In Padua the PPI and Patto Segni got 23.7% together, slightly behind FI (24.1%), making it the most Christian-democratic province of Veneto. The PCI slightly improved its performance to 12.1%. Under the new voting system, the FI–LV coalition won 37 seats out of 50 for the Chamber (36 out of 37 in single-seat districts).

Province AN FI LV PPI* PDS
Verona 10.2 23.6 20.7 22.4 9.1
Vicenza 6.4 21.6 28.1 23.6 7.2
Padua 8.2 24.1 17.2 23.7 12.7
Treviso 6.8 22.2 28.5 18.3 9.7
Belluno 7.1 21.6 32.4 15.7 9.3
Venice 6.8 26.7 15.4 14.4 19.2
Rovigo 8.6 23.2 10.4 20.6 20.9
Veneto 7.7 23.6 21.6 20.2 12.1

* = Including Patto Segni.
Source: Regional Council of Veneto


1996 general election

The 1996 general election saw a huge success of LV, which was by far the largest party with 29.2%. As usual, the party was especially strong in the mountains and the Pedemontana: Belluno (41.4%), Treviso (41.4%), Vicenza (36.1%) and Verona (25.7%). FI was a distant second with 17.1%, the PDS third with 11.8%, National Alliance (AN) fourth with 11.7% and the PPI fifth with 8.1%. The PDS was the largest party in Rovigo (21.3%), while AN proved particularily strong in Verona (14.7%), Padua (13.7%) and Rovigo (13.7%). Padua was the province where the PPI scored better (9.6%).

Province AN FI LV PPI PDS
Verona 14.7 17.3 25.7 8.7 9.8
Vicenza 10.0 14.1 36.1 9.0 7.3
Padua 13.7 16.5 23.6 9.6 12.4
Treviso 9.1 16.7 41.9 7.5 8.7
Belluno 7.9 18.9 41.4 6.0 7.8
Venice 10.9 19.8 22.2 6.2 18.3
Rovigo 13.7 17.6 13.2 8.2 21.3
Veneto 11.7 17.1 29.2 8.1 11.8

Source: Regional Council of Veneto


2000 regional election

The 2000 regional election was the heyday for FI, which replaced LV as Veneto's largest party with 30.4% and did particularily well in Vicenza (31.8%), Belluno (31.7%) and Verona (31.4%). The LV got a poor 12.0%, due to some damaging splits and a big swing of Venetist votes to FI. A centrist federation, including the PPI, gained 13.6%, the Democrats of the Left (DS) 12.3%, AN 9.8% and the Christian democrats (CDU and CCD) 6.8%.

Province AN FI CDU* LV IpV DS
Verona 11.6 31.4 8.7 12.2 12.5 9.6
Vicenza 9.4 31.8 6.2 15.5 14.8 8.4
Padua 10.2 30.9 8.8 8.6 14.0 13.8
Treviso 8.7 27.9 6.2 19.5 15.0 8.7
Belluno 7.9 31.7 - 11.6 21.2 10.3
Venice 8.7 30.2 5.7 7.1 11.4 18.8
Rovigo 12.4 27.8 6.1 4.7 9.3 21.1
Veneto 9.8 30.4 6.8 12.0 13.6 12.3

* = Including CCD.
Source: Regional Council of Veneto


2005 regional election

The 2005 regional election saw a comeback of Venetist parties: LV won 14.7% of the vote, while brand new North-East Project got 5.5%. Both were especially strong in Treviso, which proved again to be a Venetist stronghold: 23.1 and 15.6%, respectively. FI was reduced to 22.7% and was no longer Veneto's largest party, as it was passed by The Olive Tree (including the DS and the successor of the PPI, DL) and its allies, which got 29.0% regionally. AN gained 8.1% and the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (UDC), resulted from the merger of CDU and CCD, 6.4%. Padua was again the province were post-DC parties did better: FI 25.3% and UDC 9.2%.

Province AN FI LV PNE UDC Uli.*
Verona 10.7 23.1 16.9 0.8 8.3 27.2
Vicenza 8.7 23.7 17.9 4.3 6.9 26.8
Padua 7.9 25.3 10.3 3.6 9.2 30.9
Treviso 4.9 18.3 23.1 15.6 3.8 24.6
Belluno 5.9 19.4 11.8 7.2 3.8 36.7
Venice 7.0 24.0 8.4 4.2 4.6 30.7
Rovigo 12.5 22.1 6.1 1.2 5.2 37.6
Veneto 8.1 22.7 14.7 5.5 6.4 29.0

* = Including For Veneto with Carraro.
Source: Regional Council of Veneto


2010 regional election

The 2010 regional election concluded a realignment started with the 2008 general election, under which LV returned to be Veneto's largest party. With 35.2% of the votes it was also the first party in two decades to gain more than 30%. The party got a thumping 48.5% in Treviso, 38.1% in Vicenza, 36.1% in Verona, 32.8% in Belluno and 31.4% in Padua. In all these five provinces LV was by far the largest party. The People of Freedom (PdL), result of the merger of FI with AN, came second with 24.7% and the Democratic Party (PD), result of the merger of the DS with DL, third with 20.3%. The PdL was the largest party in Rovigo (32.9%), while the PD came first in Venice (26.7%).

Province PdL LV PD
Verona 27.6 36.1 16.9
Vicenza 25.3 38.1 17.8
Padua 25.7 31.4 20.4
Treviso 15.6 48.5 18.2
Belluno 26.6 32.8 23.5
Venice 26.3 26.1 26.7
Rovigo 32.9 22.7 25.4
Veneto 24.7 35.2 20.3

Source: Regional Council of Veneto

Regional elections

The President of the Region is elected directly by the people every five years. Also the Regional Council is elected every five years, but, if the President suffers a vote of no confidence, resigns or dies, the Council is dissolved and fresh elections are called.

The Council is composed of 60 members, of which 47 are elected in provincial constituencies with proportional representation, 12 from the so-called "regional list" of the elected President and the one is for the candidate for President who comes second, who usually becomes the leader of the opposition in the Council.[3]

Last regional election

The last regional election took place on 28–29 March 2010.

Luca Zaia of Liga VenetaLega Nord was elected President by a landslide. Liga Veneta became the largest in the region with 35.2%. The total score of Venetist parties was 37.6%, the highest ever. The People of Freedom of the outgoing President Giancarlo Galan came second with 24.7% of the vote and the Democratic Party third with 20.3%.

e • d 
Candidates Regional lists Provincial lists Total
votes % seats Parties votes % swing seats party group
Luca Zaia 1,528,386 60.2 6 Liga VenetaLega Nord 788,581 35.2 +20.5 18 20 37
The People of Freedom 555,006 24.7 -7.5 13 17
Alliance of the Centre 18,114 0.8 new - -
Giuseppe Bortolussi 738,761 29.1 1 Democratic Party 456,309 20.3 -8.6 14 15 19
Italy of Values 119,396 5.3 +4.0 3 3
Federation of the Left 35,028 1.6 -3.4 1 1
Left Ecology FreedomItalian Socialist Party 27,578 1.2 new - -
IDEA – List for Veneto (incl. Greens) 15,907 0.7 -2.3 - -
Liga Veneto Autonomo 4,390 0.2 new - -
Antonio De Poli 162,235 6.4 - Union of the Centre 110,417 4.9 -1.5 3 3 4
North-East Union 34,697 1.5 -5.1 1 1
David Borrelli 80,246 3.2 - Five Star Movement 57,848 2.6 new - - -
Silvano Polo 12,891 0.5 - Party of the Venetians 7,879 0.4 new - - -
Paolo Caratossidis 9,151 0.4 - New Force 6,476 0.3 -0.6 - - -
Gianluca Panto 9,066 0.4 - Venetian National Party 6,226 0.3 new - - -
Total candidates 2,540,736 100.0 7 Total parties 2,243,042 100.0 = 47 60 60

Source: Regional Council of Veneto

List of previous regional elections

Italian general elections in Veneto

Last general election

The 2008 Italian general election took place on 13-14 April 2008. The election was won in Veneto by the centre-right coalition between People of Freedom and Lega Nord, as it happened at the national level. The People of Freedom was the largest party in the election with 27.4%, slightly ahead of Lega Nord (27.0%) and the Democratic Party (26.5%).

Chamber of Deputies

e • d 
Coalitions leaders votes votes (%) seats Parties votes votes (%) seats
Silvio Berlusconi 1,669,234 54.5 31 The People of Freedom 838,640 27.4 15
Lega Nord 830,594 27.1 16
Walter Veltroni 944,380 30.8 16 Democratic Party 812,506 26.5 14
Italy of Values 131,874 4.3 2
Pier Ferdinando Casini 171,126 5.6 3 Union of the Centre 171,126 5.6 3
Fausto Bertinotti 68,159 2.2 - The Left – The Rainbow 68,159 2.2 -
Daniela Santanchè 59,925 2.0 - The Right 59,925 2.0 -
Giorgio Vido 31,353 1.0 - Liga Veneta Repubblica 31,353 1.0 -
Renzo Rabellino 22,502 0.7 - List of Speaking Crickets 22,502 0.7 -
Enrico Boselli 16,547 0.5 - Socialist Party 16,547 0.5 -
Giuliano Ferrara 16,308 0.5 - Abortion? No, thanks 16,308 0.5 -
Others 66,504 2.2 - Others 66,504 2.2 -
Total coalitions 3,066,038 100.0 50 Total parties 3,066,038 100.0 50

Source: Regional Council of Veneto

Senate

e • d 
Coalitions leaders votes votes (%) seats Parties votes votes (%) seats
Silvio Berlusconi 1,540,993 54.4 15 The People of Freedom 802,533 28.3 8
Lega Nord 738,460 26.1 7
Walter Veltroni 895,433 31.6 9 Democratic Party 771,974 27.2 8
Italy of Values 123,459 4.4 1
Pier Ferdinando Casini 162,719 5.7 - Union of the Centre 162,719 5.7 -
Fausto Bertinotti 61,279 2.2 - The Left – The Rainbow 61,279 2.2 -
Daniela Santanchè 49,101 1.7 - The Right 49,101 1.7 -
Giorgio Vido 46,677 1.7 - Liga Veneta Repubblica 46,677 1.7 -
Enrico Boselli 14,756 0.5 - Socialist Party 14,756 0.5 -
Others 62,123 2.2 - Others 62,123 2.2 -
Total coalitions 2,834,078 100.0 24 Total parties 2,834,078 100.0 24

Source: Regional Council of Veneto

List of previous general elections

European Parliament elections in Veneto

Last European Parliament election

The European Parliament election of 2009 took place on 6-7 June 2009. The People of Freedom (29.3%) and Lega Nord (28.4%) were tied at the top in Veneto, while the Democratic Party (20.3%) came distant third.

The European Parliament election of 2009 took place on 6–7 June 2009.

The People of Freedom (29.3%) and Lega Nord (28.4%) were tied at the top in Veneto, while the Democratic Party (20.3%) was a distant third.

Results

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Parties votes votes (%)
The People of Freedom 792,830 29.3
Lega Nord 767,088 28.4
Democratic Party 548,501 20.3
Italy of Values 194,530 7.2
Union of the Centre 172,077 6.4
Pannella-Bonino ListItalian Radicals 66,284 2.5
Anticapitalist List (PRCPdCI) 49,075 1.8
Left and Freedom (MpSGreensPS) 42,074 1.6
Others 70,044 2.6
Total 651,327 100.0

Source: Regional Council of Veneto


List of previous European Parliament elections

Provincial elections in Veneto

2009 provincial elections

e • d 
The People of FreedomLiga Veneta Democratic Party and allies Union of the Centre Others
candidate 1st round 2nd round candidate 1st round 2nd round candidate 1st round 2nd round 1st round
Belluno Gianpaolo Bottacin
(Liga VenetaLega Nord)
47.1% 51.1% Sergio Reolon
(Democratic Party)
41.2% 48.9% Luigi De Cesero
(Union of the Centre)
8.0% - 3.7%
Padua Barbara Degani
(The People of Freedom)
53.9% - Antonio Albuzio
(Italy of Values)
30.6% - Antonio De Poli
(Union of the Centre)
11.3% - 4.2%
Rovigo Antonello Contiero
(Liga VenetaLega Nord)
48.7% 47.7% Tiziana Virgili
(Democratic Party)
36.7% 52.3% Michele Raisi
(Union of the Centre)
6.2% - 8.3%
Venice Francesca Zaccariotto
(Liga VenetaLega Nord)
48.4% 51.9% Davide Zoggia
(Democratic Party)
41.9% 48.1% Ugo Bergamo
(Union of the Centre)
5.6% - 4.1%
Verona Giovanni Miozzi
(The People of Freedom)
59.1% - Diego Zardini
(Democratic Party)
23.3% - Mario Rossi
(Union of the Centre)
8.4% - 9.2%

Source: La Repubblica

2011 provincial elections

e • d 
The People of FreedomLiga Veneta Democratic Party and allies Union of the CentreNorth-East Union Others
candidate 1st round 2nd round candidate 1st round 2nd round candidate 1st round 2nd round 1st round
Treviso Leonardo Muraro
(Liga VenetaLega Nord)
57.5% - Floriana Casellato
(Democratic Party)
32.9% - Marco Zabotti
(Union of the Centre)
6.8% - 2.8%

Source: Ministry of the Interior

Municipal elections in Veneto

2007 municipal elections

e • d 
House of Freedoms (incl. Liga Veneta) The Union Others
candidate 1st round 2nd round candidate 1st round 2nd round 1st round
Verona Flavio Tosi
(Liga VenetaLega Nord)
60.7% - Paolo Zanotto
(Democracy is Freedom)
33.9% - 5.4%

Source: La Repubblica

2008 municipal elections

e • d 
The People of FreedomLega Nord Democratic Party and allies Others
candidate 1st round 2nd round candidate 1st round 2nd round 1st round
Treviso Gian Paolo Gobbo
(Liga VenetaLega Nord)
50.4% - Franco Rosi
(Democratic Party)
27.4% - 22.2%
Vicenza Amalia Sartori
(Forza Italia)
39.3% 49.5% Achille Variati
(Democratic Party)
31.3% 50.5% 29.4%

Source: La Repubblica

2009 municipal elections

e • d 
The People of FreedomLega Nord Democratic Party and allies Others
candidate 1st round 2nd round candidate 1st round 2nd round 1st round
Padua Marco Marin
(The People of Freedom)
44.9% 48.0% Flavio Zanonato
(Democratic Party)
45.7% 52.0% 9.4%

Source: La Repubblica

2010 municipal elections

e • d 
The People of FreedomLega Nord Democratic Party and allies Others
candidate 1st round 2nd round candidate 1st round 2nd round 1st round
Venice Renato Brunetta
(The People of Freedom)
42.6% - Giorgio Orsoni
(Democratic Party)
51.1% - 6.3%

Source: La Repubblica

References

  1. ^ Piergiorgio Corbetta; Maria Serena Piretti, Atlante storico-elettorale d'Italia, Zanichelli, Bologna 2009, pp. 64–79
  2. ^ Piergiorgio Corbetta; Maria Serena Piretti, Atlante storico-elettorale d'Italia, Zanichelli, Bologna 2009, pp. 80–83
  3. ^ http://www.consiglio.regione.lombardia.it/c/portal/layout?p_l_id=PRI.1046.1&p_p_id=20&p_p_action=1&p_p_state=exclusive&p_p_col_id=null&p_p_col_pos=2&p_p_col_count=3&_20_struts_action=%2Fdocument_library%2Fget_file&_20_folderId=69&_20_name=l+cost+199_PDF.pdf