2014 Venetian independence referendum

Unofficial, non-binding, online and privately organised poll November 2022 Venetian independence referendum, 2014 Veneto Veneto in Italy.svg Map of Italy with Veneto highlighted in red. 2014 03 16 2014 03 21 y 100px Simple majority, online voting Veneto, Italy Do you want Veneto to be a federal, independent and sovereign state? Yes 89.1 No 10.9 Turnout was 63.2%. Should Veneto adopt the Euro as its currency if it becomes independent? Yes 51.4 No 48.6 Turnout was 24.6%. Should Veneto seek to join the European Union if it becomes independent? Yes 55.7 No 44.3 Turnout was 22.3%. Should Veneto seek to join NATO if it becomes independent? Yes 64.5 No 35.5 Turnout was 19.8%. The Venetian independence referendum of 2014 was an unofficial, non-binding, online and privately organised poll held among residents of Veneto, one of the 20 regions of Italy, 16–21 March 2014. The vote, known also as the "digital plebiscite" or "Plebiscito.eu", was promoted by Plebiscite 2013, a Venetian nationalist organisation led by Gianluca Busato. Background Venetian nationalism#Recent developments Plebiscito.eu Turnout and results According to Plebiscito.eu'''s staff, 2.36 million Venetians (63.2% of all eligible voters) participated in the online referendum and 89.1% of them (that is to say 56.6% of all eligible voters) voted "yes" to independence.http://www.rischiocalcolato.it/2014/03/veneto-libero-indipendente-nato-in-europa-leuro-problema-italiano.html Veneto Libero, Indipendente (nella Nato in Europa e con l'Euro.... Il Problema è lo STATO ITALIANO) - Rischio Calcolato rischiocalcolato.it 2014-03-25 https://archive.today/20140322124151/http://www.rischiocalcolato.it/2014/03/veneto-libero-indipendente-nato-in-europa-leuro-problema-italiano.html 2014-03-22 dead P2013 proclaimed Veneto's independence from Italy in Treviso on the night of 21 March.http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/referendum-indipendenza-veneto-due-milioni-a-favore-a827fd1d-99d4-4b23-836c-c653559cc797.html Referendum indipendenza Veneto: 2 milioni di sì - Rai News rainews.it 2014-03-25http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2014/21-marzo-2014/referendum-19-milioni-votanti-questa-sera-tutti-piazza-treviso-2224246432447.shtml In mille dichiarano l'indipendenza "Ora Zaia può solo inseguirci" Corriere del Veneto Marco Bonet 21 March 2014 2014-03-25https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10715888/Veneto-residents-support-leaving-Italy-in-unofficial-referendum.html Veneto residents support leaving Italy in unofficial referendum - Telegraph telegraph.co.uk 2014-03-25 In the poll, ten "delegates for independence" were elected: Busato was the preferred candidate with 135,306 votes, followed by Stefano Vescovi (48,320), Selena Veronese (46,947), Silvia Gandin (43,025), Lodovico Pizzati (25,731), Gianfranco Favaro (16,670), Raffaele Serafini (16,627), Manuel Carraro (16,627), Gianluca Panto (16,321) and Paolo Bernardini (16,299). Finally, voters were asked to express their opinion on three "foreign policy issues", were Veneto to become independent: adoption of the Euro (supported by 51.4% of voters), accession to European Union membership (supported by 55.7% of voters) and accession to NATO membership (supported by 64.5% of voters); turnout was however much lower for these three questions (24.6%, 22.3% and 19.8%, respectively). Critique of turnout and results Turnout and results were questioned by many news sources based on publicly available website traffic statistics released by Alexa Internet and similar providers. According to the critics, throughout the duration of the poll, the website received approximately 135,000 visits (just 3.6% of eligible voters). Moreover, a significant proportion of this traffic came from outside Italy, with 10% coming from Santiago, Chile.http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2014/26-marzo-2014/indipendenza-numeri-sono-falsi-2224268533592.shtml Indipendenza, i numeri sono falsi Antonini Alessio Corriere del Veneto it-IT 2017-01-16http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2014/27-marzo-2014/numeri-falsi-counter-confermano-il-10-cento-voti-cile-2224273994588.shtml Numeri falsi, i counter confermano Il 10 per cento dei voti dal Cile - Corriere del Veneto 27 March 2014 corrieredelveneto.corriere.it 2014-07-11http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/03/27/referendum-veneto-150mila-voti-non-2-milioni-organizzatori-attaccano-falso-clamoroso/928989/ Referendum Veneto, "150mila voti non 2 milioni". Organizzatori attaccano: "Falso" - Il Fatto Quotidiano 27 March 2014 ilfattoquotidiano.it 2014-07-11http://www.lastampa.it/2014/03/28/italia/politica/voti-gonfiati-al-referendum-veneto-un-elettore-su-collegato-dal-cile-cDjSEfUClLfYaXGccql3GN/pagina.html La Stampa - Voti gonfiati al referendum veneto "Un elettore su 10 collegato dal Cile" 28 March 2014 lastampa.it 2014-07-11 8 April 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140408230444/http://www.lastampa.it/2014/03/28/italia/politica/voti-gonfiati-al-referendum-veneto-un-elettore-su-collegato-dal-cile-cDjSEfUClLfYaXGccql3GN/pagina.html dead According to an opinion poll by Ilvo Diamanti's Demos&Pi for La Repubblica taken on 20–21 March, however, 48% of Venetians had voted or had intention to vote in the online referendum, 49% had not voted, and 3% did not answer. Among those voting, 78% favoured independence. Moreover, Diamanti found that 55% of all eligible voters favoured independence, which was opposed by 39%.http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2014/03/24/news/l_indipendenza_del_veneto_non_uno_scherzo_bocciato_lo_stato_centrale_no_alla_politica_locale-81734444/?ref=HREC1-6 L'indipendenza del Veneto non è uno scherzo Bocciato lo Stato centrale, no alla politica locale - Repubblica.it 24 March 2014 repubblica.it 2014-03-25http://www.demos.it/a00970.php Il referendum per l'indipendenza del Veneto - Demos & Pi demos.it 2014-03-25 Other polling firms, including Ixèhttp://www.ilpost.it/2014/03/22/veneto-referendum-indipendenza-di-vico/ Il Veneto, referendum o no - Il Post 22 March 2014 ilpost.it 2014-03-25 and Istituto Piepoli,http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/GestioneDomande.aspx PCM Sondaggi Politico Elettorali sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it 2014-07-11 13 September 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220913104134/http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/GestioneDomande.aspx dead offered comparable data.Plebiscito.eu, for its part, announced on 29 March that a short report on the referendum by a committee of international observers would be soon presented. The president of the committee, former ambassador of Georgia to Italy, Beglar Davit Tavartkiladze, anticipated that 100% of the voters who had been contacted confirmed to have voted.http://www.plebiscito.eu/news/sappada-delegazione-dei-dieci-presenta-roadmap-verso-lassemblea-costituente-del-veneto/ SAPPADA: DELEGAZIONE DEI DIECI PRESENTA ROADMAP VERSO L'ASSEMBLEA COSTITUENTE DEL VENETO | Repubblica Veneta, federale, indipendente, libera e sovrana plebiscito.eu 2014-07-11 29 March 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140329220729/http://www.plebiscito.eu/news/sappada-delegazione-dei-dieci-presenta-roadmap-verso-lassemblea-costituente-del-veneto/ deadhttp://www.ilgiornaledivicenza.it/stories/Regione/689324_web-referendum_il_certificatore__un_georgiano/ Il Giornale di Vicenza.it - Home - Veneto ilgiornaledivicenza.it 2014-07-11 2014-06-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20140606102023/http://www.ilgiornaledivicenza.it/stories/Regione/689324_web-referendum_il_certificatore__un_georgiano/ dead In 2014 and 2015, the Plebiscito.eu organizers asserted that the result of the referendum was legitimatehttp://www.plebiscito.eu/news/statement-to-the-venetian-people/ STATEMENT TO THE VENETIAN PEOPLE 20 December 2014 plebiscito.eu 22 December 2014 22 December 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141222184033/http://www.plebiscito.eu/news/statement-to-the-venetian-people/ deadhttp://www.plebiscito.eu/news/assessment-sul-livello-di-affidabilita-dei-dati-del-plebiscito-digitale-del-16-21-marzo-2014/ Assessment sul livello di affidabilità dei dati del Plebiscito Digitale del 16-21 marzo 2014 plebiscito.eu 22 December 2014 22 December 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141222183851/http://www.plebiscito.eu/news/assessment-sul-livello-di-affidabilita-dei-dati-del-plebiscito-digitale-del-16-21-marzo-2014/ dead and that the Plebiscito.eu'' referendum committee was entitled to "establish any form of relationship with states and intergovernmental organizations in order to recognise referendum results and therefore the full independence of the Venetian Republic."http://blog.plebiscito.eu/news/indipendenza-del-veneto-tutto-e-cambiato/ Referendum Legal Basis and Consequences April 2015 plebiscito.eu 2015-04-01 25 May 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150525142847/http://blog.plebiscito.eu/news/indipendenza-del-veneto-tutto-e-cambiato/ dead Reactions and aftermath SeveralOctober 2018 international media covered the event. During an interview with foreign journalists on 19 March 2014, Luca Zaia, President of Veneto and leading member of Liga Veneta–Lega Nord, announced that he too had voted (yes) in the online poll and explained that he would seek "total independence" for Veneto.Squires Nick 2014-03-19 President of Veneto joins campaign for Venetian independence from Italy https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10708733/President-of-Veneto-joins-campaign-for-Venetian-independence-from-Italy.html The Daily Telegraph en20 March 2014 'Rome thinks it is still an empire': Veneto president https://www.thelocal.it/20140320/rome-treats-venice-like-a-suburb-of-roman-empire The Local On 1 April 2014, a committee of the Regional Council of Veneto put forward bills calling for a referendum on independence and on more autonomy for the region. The move was supported by the representatives of Liga Veneta–Lega Nord, Forza Italia (the minority faction), New Centre-Right, Popular Future, Union of the Centre and North-East Union, but opposed by the Democratic Party, Italy of Values and the Federation of the Left. http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?n=80&p=84&c=5&e=88&t=0&idNotizia=26137 Consiglio Regionale Veneto - Sala stampa consiglioveneto.it 2014-07-11 7 April 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140407070222/http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?n=80&p=84&c=5&e=88&t=0&idNotizia=26137 dead2 April 2014 Indipendenza e autonomia speciale. Via libera a entrambi i referendum https://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2014/2-aprile-2014/indipendenza-autonomia-speciale-via-libera-entrambi-referendum-2236251003.shtml Corriere del Veneto The day after, all the floor leaders of the parties represented in the council (except for the Federation of the Left) officially asked the Italian government to give Veneto the status of a special-statute autonomous region and fiscal autonomy. http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?n=80&p=84&c=5&e=88&t=0&idNotizia=26151 Consiglio Regionale Veneto - Sala stampa consiglioveneto.it 2014-07-11 7 April 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140407070606/http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?n=80&p=84&c=5&e=88&t=0&idNotizia=26151 dead The final document was approved by Liga Veneta–Lega Nord, Forza Italia (both factions), New Centre Right, Union of the Centre, Italy of Values and North-East Union. http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?n=80&p=84&c=5&e=88&t=0&idNotizia=26159 Consiglio Regionale Veneto - Sala stampa consiglioveneto.it 2014-07-11 2014-04-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20140408213803/http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?n=80&p=84&c=5&e=88&t=0&idNotizia=26159 dead On 28 April, during a visit to Veneto, the Italian Minister of the Interior, Angelino Alfano, acknowledged that "there is a Venetian question, which will be central in the government's relation with regions". In reference to what he called "Agenda Veneto", he said: "We think that Veneto could be the laboratory for a form of strong and advanced federalism. [...] We cannot close our eyes in front of independentist risings. [...] The answer is dual: enhancing autonomy and improving the government's services". For his part, Zaia explained to Alfano the "legitimate request of Venetians" for autonomy and independence, and that "the issue of autonomy and the desire of independence of Venetians cannot be resolved with an aspirin", concluding that "if Rome continues to sleep, it is inevitable that Veneto will organise by itself". http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2014/28-aprile-2014/alfano-esiste-questione-veneta-223140045756.shtml Alfano: Esiste una questione veneta - Corriere del Veneto 28 April 2014 corrieredelveneto.corriere.it 2014-07-11 http://www.ilgazzettino.it/NORDEST/PRIMOPIANO/ministro_interni_alfano_venezia_veneto_questione_veneta/notizie/657078.shtml Alfano: "Esiste una questione veneta da federalismo avanzato e spinto" ilgazzettino.it 2014-07-11 On 10 June the Regional Council discussed and passed a law concerning five referendum questions concerning special autonomy. On 12 June the same legislative assembly passed Valdegamberi's 342/2013 bill in order to hold a referendum on the independence (question: "Do you want Veneto to become a sovereign and independent republic?") with 30 yeas, 12 nays and 3 abstentions. http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2014/12-giugno-2014/indipendenza-veneto-via-libera-consiglio-regionale-referendum--223385301837.shtml Indipendenza del Veneto, via libera del consiglio regionale al referendum Corriere del Veneto 2014-06-12 On 26 June 2015 the Constitutional Court ruled the independence referendum out as contrary to the Constitution, but authorised one of the five autonomy referendums ("Do you want the Region of Veneto to be granted of further and special forms and conditions of autonomy?"). http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2015/26-giugno-2015/indipendenza-no-consulta-2301572403277.shtml Indipendenza, no della Consulta Bonet Marco Corriere del Veneto it-IT 2017-01-16Biondani Paolo 2015-06-25 Zaia, la Corte boccia l'indipendenza veneta https://lespresso.it/c/attualita/2015/6/25/zaia-la-corte-boccia-lindipendenza-veneta/8108 L'Espresso it In March 2016 President Zaia announced that he had written to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in order to start negotiating both on the organisation of the referendum on autonomy and on the devolution of further powers to Veneto according to article 116 of the Constitution. http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2016/17-marzo-2016/autonomia-zaia-spinge-referendum-firmata-lettera-d-avvio-negoziato-240186673326.shtml Autonomia, Zaia spinge il referendum Firmata la lettera d'avvio del negoziato Corriere del Veneto it-IT 2017-01-16 Zaia proposed holding the referendum on the same day as the 2016 constitutional referendum (which would reduce the regions' powers—article 117, while expanding the powers that can be devolved to regions according to article 116 and creating a regionalised Senate), a notion deemed legally impossible by undersecretary Gianclaudio Bressa, http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2016/2-maggio-2016/autonomia-si-governo-referendum-240376537727.shtml Autonomia, sì del governo al referendum Bonet Marco Corriere del Veneto it-IT 2017-01-16 and the negotiations started in May. http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2016/3-maggio-2016/-referendum-autonomista-zaia-accelera-governo-corretto-andiamo-votare-240380221047.shtml Referendum autonomista, Zaia accelera "Governo corretto, andiamo a votare" Bonet Marco Corriere del Veneto it-IT 2017-01-16 http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2016/17-maggio-2016/autonomia-lettera-arrivata-ma-zaia-non-basta-troppi-limiti-240440229288.shtml Autonomia, la lettera è arrivata ma a Zaia non basta: troppi limiti Bonet Marco Corriere del Veneto it-IT 2017-01-16 According to an opinion poll taken in June, 78.5% of Venetians would take part in an autonomy referendum, 78.4% would vote yes, 3.5% no and 18.1% did not know. According to the same poll, 70.7% of voters would participate also in the constitutional referendum, 41.3% would vote yes, 22.2% no and 36.5% did not know. http://www.lanservizi.com/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CORVEN_PADOVA2016_06_02_Page4-1.pdf Autonomia e riforma Boschi, il Veneto pronuncia già due sì Romano Luca 2016-06-02 2017-01-18 2016-08-17 https://web.archive.org/web/20160817081143/http://www.lanservizi.com/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CORVEN_PADOVA2016_06_02_Page4-1.pdf dead http://www.confindustria.vicenza.it/rassegna/20160602/SIB4249.pdf Confindustria Vicenza https://web.archive.org/web/20160818051131/http://www.confindustria.vicenza.it/rassegna/20160602/SIB4249.pdf 2016-08-18 2017-01-18 Contextually, two bills calling for an independence referendum were introduced in the Regional Council, one by Liga Veneta's Marino Finozzi, Gabriele Michieletto, Alessandro Montagnoli and Luciano Sandonà, http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?n=37&p=37&c=11&t=0&e=151&key=1795553 Consiglio Regionale Veneto - Progetti di legge e proposte www.consiglioveneto.it 2017-01-16 3 October 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181003221001/http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?n=37&p=37&c=11&t=0&e=151&key=1795553 dead with the support of Roberto Ciambetti (President of the Council), http://www.iltempo.it/cronache/2016/06/24/voglia-di-indipendenza-1.1552378 Voglia di indipendenza 2017-01-16 2016-08-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20160818011203/http://www.iltempo.it/cronache/2016/06/24/voglia-di-indipendenza-1.1552378 dead http://www.lindipendenzanuova.com/il-presidente-ciambetti-col-suo-libro-il-rischio-della-liberta-il-9-luglio-agli-incontri-culturali-del-cavalieri-col-quotidiano-lindipendenzanuova/ Il presidente Ciambetti col suo libro "Il rischio della libertà" il 9 luglio agli Incontri culturali del Cavalieri, col quotidiano lindipendenzanuova L'Indipendenza Nuova en-us 2017-01-16 http://www.noivenetoindipendente.org/wordpress/venexit-lindipendenza-va-avanti/ "Venexit, l'indipendenza va avanti". 2016-06-23 Indipendenza Noi Veneto con Zaia it-IT 2017-01-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20161024022217/http://www.noivenetoindipendente.org/wordpress/venexit-lindipendenza-va-avanti/ 2016-10-24 dead and the other by Antonio Guadagnini. http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?n=37&c=11&p=37&e=151&t=0&key=1796230 Consiglio Regionale Veneto - Progetti di legge e proposte www.consiglioveneto.it 2017-01-16 References Category:Elections in Veneto Category:21st century in Veneto Category:Referendums in Italy Veneto Category:2014 in Italy Category:2014 referendums Category:Separatism in Italy Category:2014 elections in Italy