Politics of Veneto

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The Politics of Veneto, Italy takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democracy, whereby the President is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the Regional Government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Regional Council. The Statute of Veneto was promulgated on 22 May 1971 and largely rewritten on 18 October 2011. The article 2 proclaims the principle of "self-government of the Venetian people".[1]

Once a heartland of Christian Democracy (which polled 60.5% alone in the 1953 general election and always above 50% until the late 1970s), in the 1990s Veneto became a stronghold of the centre-right Pole/House of Freedoms coalition, which governed the region from 1995 to 2010 under Giancarlo Galan (Forza Italia). In 2010 he was replaced by Luca Zaia (Liga Veneta–Lega Nord), who obtained a hefty and record-breaking (in Veneto) 60.2% of the vote and whose coalition includes the The People of Freedom/Forza Italia and the New Centre-right.[2] Liga Veneta was the largest party with 35.2% of the vote.

Veneto is also home to Venetian nationalism (or Venetism), a political movement that appeared in the 1970s, demanding political and fiscal autonomy for the region (which is felt by Venetists to be a nation in its own right) and promoting Venetian culture, language and history. This was the political background in which Liga Veneta was launched in 1980. Then, other Venetist parties, such as Liga Veneta Repubblica and North-East Project, emerged, but they never touched the popularity of Liga Veneta, which was a founding member of Lega Nord in 1991. Some Venetists campaign for federal reform, others (notably including those of Veneto State, Venetian Independence, Plebiscito.eu and We Independent Veneto) for outright independence.

Executive

Main article: Government of Veneto

The Regional Government (Giunta Regionale) is presided by the President of the Region (Presidente della Regione), who is elected for a five-year term, and is composed by the President and the Ministers (Assessori), who are currently 12, including a Vice President.[3]

Current composition

Main article: Zaia I Government

The current regional government has been in charge since 19 April 2010.[4]

Zaia I Government
Ministry Minister Party
President Luca Zaia LV
Vice President Marino Zorzato PdL/NCD
Minister of Budget and Finances Roberto Ciambetti LV
Minister of Health Luca Coletto LV
Minister of Economic Development
(also minister of Infrastructures since October 2014)		 Maria Luisa Coppola PdL/FI
Minister of Infrastructures and Transports Renato Chisso (until June 2014) PdL/FI
Minister of Public Works, Energy and Security Massimo Giorgetti PdL/FI
Minister of Agriculture Franco Manzato LV
Minister of Education and Labour
(also minister of Transports since October 2014)		 Elena Donazzan PdL/FI
Minister of Social Affairs Remo Sernagiotto (until June 2014)
Davide Bendinelli (since October 2014)		 PdL/FI
FI
Minister of Tourism and International Trade Marino Finozzi LV
Minister of Environment Maurizio Conte LV/LTV
Minister of Venetian Identity Daniele Stival LV/LTV
Minister of Culture and City Planning Marino Zorzato PdL/NCD

Source: Veneto Region – Ninth Legislature – Zaia Government
Note 1: In November 2013 The People of Freedom (PdL) was transformed into Forza Italia (FI); a group of dissidents formed the New Centre-Right (NCD).
Note 2: In March 2015 a group of splinters from Liga Veneta (LV) formed the Tosi List for Veneto (LTV).

List of previous Governments

Main article: Governments of Veneto
Governments of Veneto
Government President Party Coalition Vice President Party Term Legislature
Tomelleri I Angelo Tomelleri DC DC Paolo Tartari DC 1970–1971 I Legislature
Tomelleri II Angelo Tomelleri DC DC Paolo Tartari DC 1971–1972 I Legislature
Feltrin I Piero Feltrin DC DC Paolo Tartari DC 1972–1973 I Legislature
Tomelleri III Angelo Tomelleri DC DC Marino Cortese DC 1973–1975 I Legislature
Tomelleri IV Angelo Tomelleri DC DC, PRI Giancarlo Gambaro DC 1975–1977 II Legislature
Tomelleri V Angelo Tomelleri DC DC Marino Cortese DC 1977–1980 II Legislature
Bernini I Carlo Bernini DC DC, PSDI (since 1981) Marino Cortese DC 1980–1985 III Legislature
Bernini II Carlo Bernini DC DC, PSI, PSDI, PLI Umberto Carraro PSI 1985–1989 IV Legislature
Cremonese I Gianfranco Cremonese DC DC, PSI, PSDI, PLI Umberto Carraro PSI 1989–1990 IV Legislature
Cremonese II Gianfranco Cremonese DC DC, PSI, PRI, PSDI Amalia Sartori PSI 1990–1992 V Legislature
Frigo I Franco Frigo DC DC, PSI, Greens Renzo Burro PSI 1992–1993 V Legislature
Pupillo I Giuseppe Pupillo PDS DC, PDS, PSI, Greens, UPV Carlo Alberto Tesserin DC 1993–1994 V Legislature
Bottin I Aldo Bottin PPI PPI, LV, FI, PLI, UPV, CPA, Rad Gian Paolo Gobbo LV 1994–1995 V Legislature
Galan I Giancarlo Galan FI FI, AN, CDU, CCD Bruno Canella AN 1995–2000 VI Legislature
Galan II Giancarlo Galan FI FI, LV, AN, UDC Fabio Gava FI 2000–2005 VII Legislature
Galan III Giancarlo Galan FI FI, LV, AN, UDC, NPSI Luca Zaia / Franco Manzato LV 2005–2010 VIII Legislature
Zaia I Luca Zaia LV LV, PdL* Marino Zorzato PdL** 2010–... IX Legislature

Source: Veneto Region
* = Party disbanded in 2013; its members joined either FI or NCD.
 ** = NCD since 2013.

Legislative branch

The Regional Council of Veneto (Consiglio Regionale del Veneto) is composed of 60 members. 48 councillors are elected in provincial constituencies by proportional representation using the largest remainder method with a Droop quota and open lists, while 12 councillors (elected in bloc) come from a "regional list", including the President-elect. One seat is reserved for the candidate who comes second. If a coalition wins more than 50% of the total seats in the Council with PR, only 6 candidates from the regional list will be chosen and the number of those elected in provincial constituencies will be 54. If the winning coalition receives less than 40% of votes, special seats are added to the Council to ensure a large majority for the President's coalition.[5]

The Council is elected for a five-year term, but, if the President suffers a vote of no confidence, resigns or dies, under the simul stabunt, simul cadent prevision introduced in 1999 (literally they will stand together or they will fall together), also the Council is dissolved and a snap election is called.[6]

Current composition

Distribution of Seats in the Regional Council
Political Group Leader 2010 2015
Venetian Democratic Party Laura Puppato/
Lucio Tiozzo		 14 10
Liga Veneta–Lega Nord Federico Caner 20 7
New Centre-Right Autonomous Veneto Giancarlo Conta – 7
The People of Freedom–Forza Italia[7] Dario Bond 17 5
Forza Italia Leonardo Padrin – 5
Tosi List for Veneto (Venetian Commitment)[8] Francesco Piccolo – 3
Popular Future Stefano Valdegamberi – 3
Veneto First Giovanni Furlanetto – 3
Family–Pensioners (Toward North–Venetian People)[9] Diego Bottacin[10] – 3
Civic Veneto[11] Giuseppe Berlato Sella – 3
Zaia President[12] Gianpiero Possamai – 3
Italy of Values Gustavo Franchetto/
Antonino Pipitone		 3 2
Union of the Centre Stefano Valdegamberi/
Stefano Peraro		 3 1
Federation of the Left Pietrangelo Pettenò 1 1
North-East Union Mariangelo Foggiato/
Rolando Bortoluzzi		 1 1
Bortolussi President Giuseppe Bortolussi[10] 1 1
Mixed Group – – 2

Sources: Regional Council of Veneto – Groups and Regional Council of Veneto – Members

Local government

Provinces

Veneto is divided into seven provinces.

Treviso, Vicenza and Verona are strongholds of Liga Veneta–Lega Nord, while in Padua, the region's most populated, The People of Freedom/Forza Italia has been the dominant political force. Padua is also the province in the North where the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats/Union of the Centre has scored better. Only two provinces have been traditionally governed by the centre-left (Venice and Rovigo), while Belluno is a swing province. All of them previously were Christian Democratic heartlands.

Of the seven provinces, three (Padua, Treviso and Venice, to be soon replaced by the metropolitan city of Venice) currently have a President of Liga Veneta, two (Verona and Rovigo) of Forza Italia, one (Vicenza) of the Democratic Party and another one (Belluno) of the Italian Socialist Party.

Since 2014 Presidents are elected by all the region's mayors and municipal councillors, whose votes are weighted according to the population of their municipalities. In some cases, elected Presidents represent bipartisan or trans-party coalitions. For instance, Enoch Soranzo was elected in Padua thanks to the decisive support of the Democratic Party, while the majority of his party, Liga Veneta, had endorsed another candidate,[13] and Achille Variati was endorsed both by the Democrats and Forza Italia.[14]

Province Inhabitants President Party Election
Padua 934,216 Enoch Soranzo Independent (Liga Veneta) 2014
Verona 920,158 Antonio Pastorello Forza Italia 2014
Treviso 888,249 Leonardo Muraro Liga Veneta 2011
Vicenza 870,740 Achille Variati Democratic Party 2014
Venice 863,133 Francesca Zaccariotto Liga Veneta 2009
Rovigo 247,884 Marco Trombini Forza Italia 2014
Belluno 213,474 Daniela Larese Italian Socialist Party 2014

Municipalities

Of the major 25 comuni (25,000+ inhabitants) of Veneto the Democratic Party controls thirteen, Liga Veneta five, Forza Italia four and minor parties three.

Municipality Inhabitants Mayor Party Election
Venice 270,884 Giorgio Orsoni Democratic Party 2010
Verona 263,964 Flavio Tosi Liga Veneta 2012
Padua 214,198 Massimo Bitonci Liga Veneta 2014
Vicenza 115,927 Achille Variati Democratic Party 2013
Treviso 82,807 Giovanni Manildo Democratic Party 2013
Rovigo 52,793 Bruno Piva Forza Italia 2011
Chioggia 50,674 Giuseppe Casson Democratic Party 2011
Bassano del Grappa 43,540 Riccardo Poletto Democratic Party 2014
San Donà di Piave 41,592 Andrea Cereser Democratic Party 2013
Schio 39,566 Valter Orsi Independent (ex-Liga Veneta) 2014
Mira 38,952 Alvise Maniero Five Star Movement 2012
Belluno 36,599 Jacopo Massaro Independent (ex-Democratic Party) 2012
Conegliano 35,748 Floriano Zambon Forza Italia 2012
Castelfranco Veneto 33,740 Luciano Dussin Liga Veneta 2010
Villafranca di Verona 33,117 Mario Faccioli Liga Veneta 2013
Montebelluna 31,181 Marzio Favero Liga Veneta 2011
Vittorio Veneto 28,964 Roberto Tonon Democratic Party 2014
Mogliano Veneto 28,115 Carola Arena Democratic Party 2014
Mirano 27,077 Maria Rosa Pavanello Democratic Party 2012
Spinea 27,041 Silvano Checchin Democratic Party 2014
Valdagno 26,889 Giancarlo Acerbi Democratic Party 2014
Arzignano 26,046 Giorgio Gentilin Forza Italia 2014
Jesolo 25,601 Valerio Zoggia Forza Italia 2012
Legnago 25,600 Clara Scapin Democratic Party 2014
Portogruaro 25,440 Antonio Bertoncello Democratic Party 2010

Political parties and elections

Latest regional election

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

Luca Zaia of Liga Veneta–Lega 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 came second with 24.7% and the Democratic Party third with 20.3%.

 
Candidates Regional lists Provincial lists Total
votes % seats Parties votes % swing seats party group
Luca Zaia 1,528,386 60.16 6 Liga Veneta–Lega Nord 788,581 35.16 +20.5 18 20 37
The People of Freedom 555,006 24.74 -7.5 13 17
Alliance of the Centre 18,114 0.81 new - -
Giuseppe Bortolussi 738,761 29.08 1 Democratic Party 456,309 20.34 -8.6 14 15 19
Italy of Values 119,396 5.32 +4.0 3 3
Federation of the Left 35,028 1.56 -3.4 1 1
Left Ecology Freedom–Italian Socialist Party 27,578 1.23 new - -
IDEA – List for Veneto (incl. Greens) 15,907 0.67 -2.3 - -
Liga Veneto Autonomo 4,390 0.20 new - -
Antonio De Poli 162,235 6.39 - Union of the Centre 110,417 4.92 -1.5 3 3 4
North-East Union 34,697 1.55 -5.1 1 1
David Borrelli 80,246 3.16 - Five Star Movement 57,848 2.58 new - - -
Silvano Polo 12,891 0.51 - Venetians–Independence 7,879 0.35 new - - -
Paolo Caratossidis 9,151 0.36 - New Force 6,476 0.29 -0.6 - - -
Gianluca Panto 9,066 0.36 - Venetian National Party 6,226 0.28 new - - -
Total candidates 2,540,736 100.00 7 Total parties 2,243,042 100.00 = 47 60 60

Source: Ministry of the Interior – Historical Archive of Elections and Regional Council of Veneto

Latest general election in Veneto

Chamber of Deputies

 
Coalition leaders votes votes (%) seats Parties votes votes (%) seats
Silvio Berlusconi 935,404 31.8 12 The People of Freedom 549,692 18.7 7
Lega Nord 310,173 10.5 5
Brothers of Italy 44,383 1.5 -
Pensioners' Party 14,474 0.5 -
Others 16,682 0.5 -
Beppe Grillo 775,862 26.3 10 Five Star Movement 775,862 26.3 10
Pier Luigi Bersani 686,970 23.3 24 Democratic Party 628,384 21.3 22
Left Ecology Freedom 53,043 1.8 2
Others 5,543 0.2 -
Mario Monti 349,353 11.9 5 Civic Choice 296,920 10.1 4
Union of the Centre 44,622 1.5 1
Others 7,811 0.3 -
Oscar Giannino 67,082 2.3 - Act to Stop the Decline 67,082 2.3 -
Antonio Ingroia 39,608 1.3 - Civil Revolution 39,608 1.3 -
Lodovico Pizzati 33,274 1.1 - Venetian Independence 33,274 1.1 -
Fabrizio Comencini 15,838 0.5 - Liga Veneta Repubblica 15,838 0.5 -
Others 41,318 1.4 - Others 41,318 1.4 -
Total coalitions 2,944,710 100.0 51 Total parties 2,944,710 100.0 51

Source: Regional Council of Veneto

Senate

 
Coalition leaders votes votes (%) seats Parties votes votes (%) seats
Silvio Berlusconi 895,425 32.8 14 The People of Freedom 523,029 19.2 9
Lega Nord 298,412 11.0 5
Brothers of Italy 38,511 1.4 -
Pensioners' Party 20,631 0.8 -
Others 14,842 0.5 -
Pier Luigi Bersani 681,501 25.0 4 Democratic Party 633,311 23.2 4
Left Ecology Freedom 42,635 1.6 -
Others 5,555 0.2 -
Beppe Grillo 670,089 24.6 4 Five Star Movement 670,089 24.6 4
Mario Monti 299,906 11.0 2 With Monti for Italy 299,906 11.0 2
Oscar Giannino 50,497 1.9 - Act to Stop the Decline 50,497 1.9 -
Lodovico Pizzati 29,696 1.1 - Venetian Independence 29,696 1.1 -
Antonio Ingroia 27,576 1.0 - Civil Revolution 27,576 1.0 -
Fabrizio Comencini 20,381 0.7 - Liga Veneta Repubblica 20,381 0.7 -
Others 48,953 1.8 - Others 48,953 1.8 -
Total coalitions 2,724,024 100.0 24 Total parties 2,724,024 100.0 24

Source: Regional Council of Veneto

References

  1. ↑ Statuto Regionale - Sito Ufficiale della Regione Veneto
  2. ↑ In 2009 Forza Italia was merged into The People of Freedom, which was transformed into the new Forza Italia in 2013, causing the split of the New Centre-Right.
  3. ↑ Veneto Region – Regional Government
  4. ↑ Veneto Region – Regional Government
  5. ↑ La Repubblica – Regional electoral law
  6. ↑ Regional Council of Lombardy – 1999 Constitutional law
  7. ↑ From November 2013, when The People of Freedom was disbanded and its members joined either "Forza Italia" or "New Centre-Right", to February 2014 the group was named as "The People of Freedom – New Centre Right". In February 2014 the group was finally renamed "The People of Freedom – Forza Italia for Veneto".
  8. ↑ The group was originally named "Venetian Commitment" and changed its name to "Tosi List for Veneto" two weeks after its launch.
  9. ↑ The group was originally named "Toward North–Venetian People" and changed its name to "Family–Pensioners" a week after its launch.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Giuseppe Bortolussi, Diego Bottacin and Andrea Causin had been members of Toward North. Both Bottacin and Causin later joined Civic Choice.
  11. ↑ Civic Veneto, composed of three Democratic councillors, was formed as a technical group in order to validate the slates of a civic list in support of the PD and the Democratic candidate, Alessandra Moretti, in the 2015 regional election. Similar groups were formed by supporters of Luca Zaia and Flavio Tosi.
  12. ↑ Zaia President, composed of three councillors of Liga Veneta–Lega Nord, was formed as a technical group in order to validate the slates of a civic list in support of the party and the its candidate, incumbent President Luca Zaia, in the 2015 regional election. Similar groups were formed by supporters of Alessandra Moretti and Flavio Tosi.
  13. ↑ http://mattinopadova.gelocal.it/cronaca/2014/10/13/news/speranza-e-curiosita-in-1-181-per-dar-voce-ai-piccoli-comuni-1.10107955
  14. ↑ http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2014/13-ottobre-2014/province-soranzo-pastorello-variati-trombini-nuovi-presidenti-230334788211.shtml

Sources

External links