The Venetian People's Unity (''Unitá Popołare Veneta'', UPV) is a Venetist

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the ...

and

separatist Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. As with secession, separatism conventionally refers to full political separation. Groups simply seeking greate ...

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology ...

. Founded in 2008, the party seeks to represent the Venetian left wing and takes example from

Herri Batasuna Herri Batasuna (; en, Popular Unity; HB) was a far-left Basque nationalist coalition in Spain. It was founded in 1978 and defined itself as abertzale, left-wing, socialist, and supported the independence of the Greater Basque Country. It was ...

. According to its website, the party's goal is to create a "synthesis between socialist ideals, the defense of Venetian national identity and the fight for the self-determination of Venetian lands": in this respect, the UPV seeks to "spread Venetism within the left-wing and the left-wing within Venetism, in order to form a Venetian independentist and identitarian left". In November 2009 the UPV joined other separatist parties, including the more mainstream

Liga Veneta Repubblica Liga Veneta Repubblica (''Łiga Vèneta Republica'', Venetian Republic League, LVR) is a Venetist political party in Veneto, Italy. The party maintains a mildly separatist position and campaigns for the self-government of Veneto. The party's ...

and grassroots

Venetians Movement Venetians Movement (''Movimento Veneti'') was a Venetist separatist cross-party political movement which aims to promote independence regardless of individual political positions such as left or right, in a democratic and nonviolent way. The co ...

, to form

Veneto Freedom Veneto Freedom (''Veneto Libertà'', VL) was a Venetist-separatist coalition of parties active in Veneto. Talks between several Venetist parties over the formation of a united party as a reliable competitor of Liga Veneta–Lega Nord started in ...

. However, as soon as in January 2010, the coalition was disbanded and its independentist core formed a more coherent outfit, the

Party of the Venetians The Party of Venetians ( it, Partito dei Veneti, PdV) was a Venetist-separatist coalition of parties active in Veneto. The alliance, which was formed in January 2010, after the disbandment of Veneto Freedom, was composed of five groups, which ...

(PdV). In September 2010 the PdV was merged into

Veneto State Veneto State (''Veneto Stato'', VS) was a Venetist political party active in Veneto and eastern Lombardy. The party's goal to achieve full political independence for the former territories of the Venetian Republic from Italy through a referendu ...

, but the UPV retained its identity within the new party. In January 2012 the UPV endorsed the faction of Veneto State led by

Antonio Guadagnini Antonio Guadagnini ( Bassano del Grappa, 25 August 1966) is an Italian politician. Guadagnini joined Christian Democracy (DC) in the late 1980s and, after that party's dissolution in 1994, he joined a score of centre-right Christian-democratic par ...

Riccardo Lovato Riccardo is a male given name, Italian version of Ricardo or Richard. It also may be a surname. It means "Powerful Leader". It may refer to: People A–L * Riccardo Antoniazzi (1853–1912), Italian violin maker * Riccardo Bacchelli (1891– ...

, the UPV spokesperson, addressed the party's congress and proposed a coalition between the two parties. In April 2014 Lovato was arrested, along with a group of Venetian separatists (including

Franco Rocchetta Franco Rocchetta (born Venice, 12 April 1947) is an Italian politician, entrepreneur, philologist and history populariser, who is usually described as the "father" of present-day Venetian nationalism and independentism. Early life and politi ...

, leading members of the

Venetian Most Serene Government The Venetian Most Serene Government (''Veneto Serenissimo Governo'', VSG), whose members are often referred to as ''Serenissimi'', is a political organization active in Veneto. The group's goal is independence and self-government for Venetian lan ...

and the

European Federalist Free Entrepreneurs The European Federalist Free Entrepreneurs – Entrepreneurs' Trade Union (''Liberi Imprenditori Federalisti Europei – Sindacato Imprenditori'', LIFE) is an association of entrepreneurs based in Veneto, one of the regions of Italy. The LIFE ai ...

), for suspected crimes including criminal association for terrorism and subversion of the democratic order. Lovato was released on 18 April, along with Rocchetta and most of the others, as the tribunal of

Brescia Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Ise ...

did not uphold the accusations.

Leadership

*Spokesperson:

(2008–present)

References

{{Reflist, 2

External links

Official website
Political parties in Veneto Venetian nationalism Separatism in Italy Political parties established in 2008