View source for 2010 Venetian regional election

{{Infobox election
| election_name      = 2010 Venetian regional election
| country            = Veneto
| type               = legislative
| ongoing            = no
| previous_election  = 2005 Venetian regional election
| previous_year      = 2005
| next_election      = 2015 Venetian regional election
| next_year          = 2015
| seats_for_election = All 60 seats to the [[Regional Council of Veneto|Regional Council]]
| election_date      = 28–29 March 2010
| image1             = [[File:Luca Zaia 2011.jpg|160x160px]]
| leader1            = [[Luca Zaia]]
| party1             = [[Lega Nord|Northern League]]
| alliance1          = Centre-right coalition (Italy)
| color1             = 0A6BE1
| seats1             = '''37'''
| seat_change1       = {{decrease}} 2
| popular_vote1      = '''1,528,386'''
| percentage1        = '''60.16%'''
| swing1             = {{increase}} 9.58%
| image2             = [[File:No image available.svg|110px]]
| leader2            = [[Giuseppe Bortolussi]]
| party2             = Independent politician
| alliance2          = Centre-left coalition (Italy)
| color2             = EF3E3E
| seats2             = 19
| seat_change2       = {{steady}} 0
| popular_vote2      = 738,761
| percentage2        = 29.08%
| swing2             = {{decrease}} 13.27%
| map_image          = Veneto 2010 Coalizioni.png
| map_size           = 300px
| map_caption        = Electoral results for area: [[blue]] for Zaia, [[orange (colour)|orange]] for Bortolussi
| title = [[President of Veneto|President]]
| posttitle = Subsequent [[President of Veneto|President]]
| before_election    = [[Giancarlo Galan]]
| after_election     = [[Luca Zaia]]
| before_party       = [[Forza Italia]]
| after_party        = [[Lega Nord]]
}}
{{Politics of Veneto}}

The '''Venetian regional election of 2010''' took place on 28–29 March 2010, as part of [[Italy]]'s [[2010 Italian regional elections|big round of regional elections]].

[[Luca Zaia]], rising star of the [[Lega Nord|Northern League]], was elected President by a landslide. With the support of 60.2% of Venetians, he was the most voted President of Veneto since direct election was introduced in 1995. Liga Veneta became the largest in the region with 35.2%. The total score of [[Venetian nationalism|Venetist]] parties (also including [[North-East Union]], [[Party of the Venetians]], [[Venetian National Party]] and [[Liga Veneto Autonomo]]) was 37.6%, the highest so far. [[The People of Freedom]] of the outgoing President [[Giancarlo Galan]] came second with 24.7% of the vote and the [[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]] third with 20.3%.

Northern League managed the highest swing ever in a regional election in Veneto (+20.5%), gaining from almost every side of the political spectrum, but mainly from The People of Freedom (–7.5%), the Democrats (–8.6%) and North-East Union (–5.1%), whose main member parties were [[North-East Project]] (5.4% in 2005) and [[Liga Veneta Repubblica]] (1.2%).

==Electoral system==
Regional elections in Veneto were ruled by the "Tatarella law" (approved in 1995), which provided for a mixed electoral system: four fifths of the regional councilors were elected in [[Provinces of Italy|provincial]] constituencies by [[proportional representation]], using the [[largest remainder method]] with a [[droop quota]] and [[open list]]s, while the residual votes and the unassigned seats were grouped into a "single regional constituency", where the whole ratios and the highest remainders were divided with the [[Hare quota|Hare method]] among the provincial party lists; one fifth of the council seats instead was reserved for regional lists and assigned with a [[Majoritarian representation|majoritarian system]]: the leader of the regional list that scored the highest number of votes was elected to the presidency of the Region while the other candidates were elected regional councilors.

A threshold of 3% had been established for the provincial lists, which, however, could still have entered the [[Regional council (Italy)|regional council]] if the regional list to which they were connected had scored at least 5% of valid votes.

The ''[[panachage]]'' was also allowed: the voter can indicate a candidate for the presidency but prefer a provincial list connected to another candidate.

==Background==
After having supported [[Giancarlo Galan]] ([[The People of Freedom]], PdL) for ten years as President of Veneto, [[Liga Veneta]]–[[Lega Nord]] (that received 28.4% of the vote in the [[2009 European Parliament election in Veneto|2009 European Parliament election]] in [[Veneto]] compared to the 29.3% of the PdL), soon reclaimed the post of President for one of itself, with [[Luca Zaia]] (Minister of Agriculture in [[Berlusconi IV Cabinet]]) or [[Flavio Tosi]] (Mayor of [[Verona]] and most popular mayor of Italy<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.clandestinoweb.com/sondaggi-da-tutto-il-mondo/35421-monitor-citt-flavio-tosi-il-sindaco-pi-amato-d-it.html |title = MONITOR CITTA': FLAVIO TOSI IL SINDACO PIU' AMATO IN ITALIA - Clandestinoweb: sondaggi politici, elettorali. Il sondaggio politico elettorale che fa opinione  |access-date=2009-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027051731/http://www.clandestinoweb.com/sondaggi-da-tutto-il-mondo/35421-monitor-citt-flavio-tosi-il-sindaco-pi-amato-d-it.html |archive-date=2009-10-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>) as likeliest choices.

Since the early days Zaia was the strongest candidate. According to an opinion poll, 72% of Venetian voters liked him and 67% considered him practised (48 and 42% were the scores of Galan, largely behind also of Tosi), a 49% would back him as President, while only 37% would back Galan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2009/16-settembre-2009/governatore-saro-ancora-io-lega-soli-siamo-35percento--1601774317777.shtml|title = «Il governatore sarò ancora io» la Lega: Da soli siamo al 35% - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref> Moreover, centre-right voters preferred Zaia to Galan by an 8-point margin (49.3% to 41.2%). Differently from the incumbent president, Zaia was popular among the young and non-autonomous workers, who generally back the left.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2009/8-ottobre-2009/sondaggio-centrodestra-zaia-candidato-stacca-galan-1601854188388.shtml|title = Sondaggio nel centrodestra Zaia candidato stacca Galan - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref> Galan and the regional section of the PdL (whose leader is [[Silvio Berlusconi]]) disagreed and wanted a fourth term for Galan, who was first elected in [[1995 Venetian regional election|1995]]. At some point a three-way race in Veneto between Galan, Zaia and a candidate of the [[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]] (PD) seemed possible, but neither Berlusconi nor [[Umberto Bossi]], federal secretary of Lega Nord, liked the idea.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2009/settembre/30/Veneto_ipotesi_una_corsa_due_co_8_090930032.shtml|title=Archivio Corriere della Sera}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2009/ottobre/01/Corsa_due_Veneto_Carroccio_ora_co_9_091001027.shtml|title=Archivio Corriere della Sera}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2009/ottobre/06/Bossi_Veneto_alleati_con_Pdl_co_9_091006005.shtml|title = Archivio Corriere della Sera}}</ref>

In December 2009 the national committee of [[The People of Freedom]] (PdL) determined that it would have supported a Lega Nord member in Veneto.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2009/dicembre/17/Pdl_Udc_basta_tensioni_Regionali_co_8_091217033.shtml|title=Archivio Corriere della Sera}}</ref> Subsequently the National Council (where "national" means "Venetian") of Liga Veneta nominated Zaia for President. Tosi, who as president of Liga Veneta presided the Council, tried until the last minute to be the candidate<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2009/18-dicembre-2009/zaia-favorito-ma-tosi-non-s-arrende--1602174706495.shtml|title = Zaia favorito ma Tosi non s'arrende - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref> and some councillors opted for [[Franco Manzato]] instead.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2009/19-dicembre-2009/regione-leghista-giorno-zaia-spunta-l-ultima-insidia-frondisti--1602179464155.shtml|title = Regione leghista, il giorno di Zaia Spunta l'ultima insidia dei frondisti - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref> However, as a strong majority backed Zaia (including the party's secretary [[Gian Paolo Gobbo]]), Zaia was voted unanimously by the Council, including Tosi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2009/19-dicembre-2009/zaia-candidato-c-sigillo-lega--1602180583635.shtml|title = Zaia candidato: C'è il sigillo della Lega «Felice di questa grande responsabilità» - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref>

The Venetian PdL is afraid that Liga Veneta, headed by Zaia, will dominate regional politics for many years to come, similarly to what the [[South Tyrolean People's Party]] has done in [[South Tyrol]]. According to another opinion poll, in the forthcoming election, with Zaia candidate, the PdL would be reduced to a mere 23% with the League at 35% and Zaia would beat Galan also in a three-way race.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2009/ottobre/21/Sondaggi_fattore_Zaia_spaventa_Pdl_co_9_091021034.shtml|title = Archivio Corriere della Sera}}</ref>

Galan, who has seldom hinted the idea of forming a Venetist party of his own, was rumored as independent candidate supported by the [[Union of Christian and Centre Democrats]] (UDC) and, less likely, by the opposition Democratic Party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2009/18-dicembre-2009/lista-combattere-lega-galan-strappi-saremo-lui-1602174478742.shtml|title = Una lista per combattere la Lega «Galan strappi e saremo con lui» - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2009/17-dicembre-2009/cacciari-mi-spiace-giancarlo-la-lega-sara-dura-collaborare-1602168029874.shtml|title = Cacciari: «Mi spiace per Giancarlo, con la Lega sarà dura collaborare» - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref> However Galan ruled out the idea of running against his party and Zaia, opening the way for a bid by [[Antonio De Poli]], UDC regional leader.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2009/22-dicembre-2009/contrordine-galan-futuro-ministro--1602196099258.shtml|title = Contrordine Galan: Futuro da ministro - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2010/16-gennaio-2010/de-poli-campo-ultimatum-bortolussi-1602298256861.shtml|title = De Poli in campo, ultimatum di Bortolussi - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref> 

The UDC refused to join forces with the centre-left, leaving the PD to choose between [[Laura Puppato]], Mayor of [[Montebelluna]], who had expressed her interest for the race<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2009/29-dicembre-2009/gia-50-comitati-la-puppato-imbarazzo-pd-la-candidatura--1602219202599.shtml|title = Già 50 comitati con la Puppato Imbarazzo Pd per la candidatura - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref> and [[Giuseppe Bortolussi]], respected leader of the [[Mestre]] section of ''[[Confartigianato]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2010/6-gennaio-2010/regione-pd-punta-bortolussi-1602250596343.shtml|title = Regione, il Pd punta su Bortolussi - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref> The PD eventually chose Bortolussi, who beat Puppato by 39 votes to 29 in the regional board of the party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2010/23-gennaio-2010/pd-lancia-bortolussi-1602336430452.shtml|title = Il Pd lancia Bortolussi - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref>

==Parties and candidates==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
!colspan=2 rowspan="2"|Political party or alliance
!colspan=2 rowspan="2"|Constituent lists
!colspan="2"|Previous result
!rowspan="2" |Candidate
|-
!Votes (%)
!Seats
|-
| rowspan="3" style="background:{{party color|Centre-right coalition}};"|
| rowspan=3 | [[Centre-right coalition (Italy)|Centre-right coalition]]
| bgcolor="{{party color|The People of Freedom}}" |
| style="text-align:left;"|[[The People of Freedom]] (PdL)
| 33.2
| 17
| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Luca Zaia
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Lega Nord}}" |
| style="text-align:left;"|[[Lega Nord|Northern League]] – [[Liga Veneta|Venetian League]] (LN–LV)
| 14.7
| 7
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Christian Democracy (Italy)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Alliance of the Centre (Italy)|Alliance of the Centre]] – [[Christian Democracy (Italy, 2002)|Christian Democracy]] (AdC–DC)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
|-
| rowspan="6" bgcolor="{{party color|Centre-left coalition}}"|
| rowspan=6 | [[Centre-left coalition (Italy)|Centre-left coalition]]
| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (Italy)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]] (PD)
| 24.3
| 13
| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;" | Giuseppe Bortolussi
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Communist Refoundation Party}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Federation of the Left]] (FdS)
| 5.0
| 2
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Italy of Values}}" |
| style="text-align:left;"|[[Italy of Values]] (IdV)
| 1.3
| –
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Left Ecology Freedom}}" |
| style="text-align:left;"|[[Left Ecology Freedom]] – [[Italian Socialist Party (2007)|Italian Socialist Party]] (SEL–PSI)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Federation of the Greens}}" |
| align="left"|IDEA – List for Veneto (incl. [[Federation of the Greens|Greens]])
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
|-
| bgcolor="gold" |
| align="left"|[[Liga Veneto Autonomo]] (LVA)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background:lightblue"|
| rowspan=2 | Centrist coalition
| bgcolor="{{party color|Union of the Centre (2002)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Union of the Centre (2002)|Union of the Centre]] (UDC)
| 6.4
| 3
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Antonio De Poli
|-
| bgcolor="#1140B3" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[North-East Union]] (inc. [[North-East Project|PNE]], [[Liga Veneta Repubblica|LVR]] and [[Venetian Agreement|IV]])
| 5.5
| 2
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Five Star Movement}}"|
| colspan="3" |[[Five Star Movement]] (M5S)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
|style="text-align:center;" | David Borrelli<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2010/2-gennaio-2010/grillo-sfida-lega-pd-lancia-suo-candidato-1602235406585.shtml|title = Grillo sfida Lega e Pd e lancia il suo candidato - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref>
|-
| style="background-color:#064D8C" |
| colspan="3" |[[Party of Venetians (2010)|Venetians Independence]]
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
|style="text-align:center;" | Silvano Polo<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2010/5-gennaio-2010/partito-veneti-candida-polo-ma-galassia-anti-lega-va-pezzi--1602245812184.shtml|title = Il partito dei veneti candida Polo Ma la galassia anti lega va in pezzi - Corriere del Veneto}}</ref>
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|New Force (Italy)}}"|
| colspan="3" |[[New Force (Italy)|New Force]] (FN)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
|style="text-align:center;"| Paolo Caratossidis
|-
| bgcolor="#004C9A"|
| colspan="3" |[[Venetian National Party]] (PNV)
| {{N/A}}
| {{N/A}}
|style="text-align:center;" | Gianluca Panto<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pnveneto.org/2010/01/elezioni-regionali-pnv-candida-panto-a-presidente-del-veneto|title = WordPress › Errore}}</ref> 
|}

==Results==
<onlyinclude>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ {{nowrap|28–29 March 2010 Venetian regional election results}}
|-
| colspan=10|[[File:Veneto Regional Council 2010.svg|300px|center]]
|-
! colspan=2| Candidates
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! colspan=2| Parties
! Votes
! %
! Seat
|-
|rowspan="5" bgcolor="{{party color|Centre-right coalition}}"|
|rowspan="5"| '''[[Luca Zaia]]'''
|rowspan="5" align=right|1,528,386
|rowspan="5" align=right|60.16
|rowspan="5" align=right|6
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Lega Nord}}"|
| align="left"| [[Lega Nord|Northern League]] – [[Liga Veneta|Venetian League]]
| align=right|788,581
| align=right|35.16
| align=right|18
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|The People of Freedom}}"|
| align="left"| [[The People of Freedom]]
| align=right|555,006
| align=right|24.74
| align=right|13
|-
| bgcolor="lightblue"|
| align="left"| [[Alliance of the Centre (Italy)|Alliance of the Centre]] – [[Christian Democracy (Italy, 2002)|Christian Democracy]]
| align=right|18,114
| align=right|0.81
| align=right|–
|-
| colspan=2|''Total''
| align=right|''1,361,702''
| align=right|''60.71''
| align=right|''31''
|-
|rowspan="8" bgcolor="{{party color|Centre-left coalition}}"|
|rowspan="8" | '''Giuseppe Bortolussi'''
|rowspan="8" align=right|738,761
|rowspan="8" align=right|29.08
|rowspan="8" align=right|1
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Party (Italy)}}" |
| align="left"| [[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]]
| align=right|456,309
| align=right|20.34
| align=right|14
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Italy of Values}}" |
| align="left"| [[Italy of Values]]
| align=right|119,396
| align=right|5.32
| align=right|3
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Communist Refoundation Party}}" |
| align="left"| [[Federation of the Left]]
| align=right|35,028
| align=right|1.56
| align=right|1
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Left Ecology Freedom}}" |
| align="left"| [[Left Ecology Freedom]] – [[Italian Socialist Party (2007)|Italian Socialist Party]]
| align=right|27,578
| align=right|1.23
| align=right|–
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Federation of the Greens}}" |
| align="left"| IDEA – List for Veneto 
| align=right|15,907
| align=right|0.67
| align=right|–
|-
| bgcolor="gold" |
|align="left"| [[Liga Veneto Autonomo]]
| align=right|4,390
| align=right|0.20
| align=right|–
|-
| colspan=2|''Total''
| align=right|''657,798''
| align=right|''29.33''
| align=right|''18''
|-
|rowspan="4" bgcolor="{{party color|Union of the Centre (2002)}}"|
|rowspan="4" | '''[[Antonio De Poli]]'''
|rowspan="4" align=right|162,235
|rowspan="4" align=right|6.39
|rowspan="4" align=right|–
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Union of the Centre (2002)}}" |
| align="left"| [[Union of the Centre (2002)|Union of the Centre]]
| align=right|110,417
| align=right|4.92
| align=right|3
|-
| bgcolor="#1140B3"|
| align="left"|[[North-East Union]]
| align=right|34,697
| align=right|1.55
| align=right|1
|-
| colspan=2|''Total''
| align=right|''145,114''
| align=right|''6.47''
| align=right|''4''
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Five Star Movement}}"|
| '''[[David Borrelli (politician)|David Borrelli]]'''
| align=right|80,246
| align=right|3.16
| align=right|–
| bgcolor="{{party color|Five Star Movement}}"|
| [[Five Star Movement]]
| align=right|57,848
| align=right|2.58
| align=right|–
|-
| bgcolor="#064D8C"|
| '''Silvano Polo'''
| align=right|12,891
| align=right|0.51
| align=right|–
| bgcolor="#064D8C"|
| align="left"| [[Party of Venetians (2010)|Venetians Independence]]
| align=right|7,879
| align=right|0.35
| align=right|–
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|New Force (Italy)}}"|
| '''Paolo Caratossidis'''
| align=right|9,151
| align=right|0.35
| align=right|–
| bgcolor="{{party color|New Force (Italy)}}"|
| align="left"| [[New Force (Italy)|New Force]]
| align=right|6,476
| align=right|0.29
| align=right|–
|-
| bgcolor="#004C9A"|
| '''Gianluca Panto'''
| align=right|9,006
| align=right|0.36
| align=right|–
| bgcolor="#004C9A"|
| align="left"| [[Venetian National Party]]
| align=right|6,226
| align=right|0.28
| align=right|–
|-
! colspan=10|
|-
| colspan=2| '''Total candidates'''
| align=right|'''2,540,736'''
| align=right|'''100.00'''
| align=right|'''7'''
| colspan=2|'''Total parties'''
| align=right|'''2,243,042'''
| align=right|'''100.00'''
| align=right|'''53'''
|-
| colspan=10| Source: [https://elezionistorico.interno.gov.it/index.php?tpel=R&dtel=28/03/2010&tpa=I&tpe=R&lev0=0&levsut0=0&lev1=5&levsut1=1&ne1=5&es0=S&es1=S&ms=S Ministry of the Interior]
|}</onlyinclude>

===Council composition===
{{See also|Members of the Regional Council of Veneto, 2010–15}}
{{:Members of the Regional Council of Veneto, 2010–15}}

==Aftermath==
After the election, [[Luca Zaia]] formed his [[Zaia I Government|first government]], composed of twelve ministers, six of Liga Veneta, that maintained the strategic Health portfolio (with [[Luca Coletto]]) and gained, above all, Budget and Finances (with [[Roberto Ciambetti]]), and six of the PdL, including [[Marino Zorzato]], who was sworn as Vice President, and [[Renato Chisso]], who was confirmed for a third consecutive term as Minister of Infrastructures and Transports.

{{:Zaia I Government}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Elections in Veneto}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2010 Venetian Regional Election}}
[[Category:Elections in Veneto]]
[[Category:2010 elections in Italy]]