# 2015 Venetian regional election

The Venetian regional election of 2015 took place in Veneto on 31 May 2015, as part of a big round of regional elections in Italy. Venetian voters elected their President and their Regional Council, whose members had been reduced to 51, including the President.
Luca Zaia, incumbent President (elected in 2010 with 60.2% of the vote) and leading member of the Northern League (LN), was re-elected by a reduced majority, due to a split occurred within his party in the run-up of the election, but, despite this, his victory over Alessandra Moretti of the Democratic Party (PD), who fared quite badly, was still a landslide: 50.1% to 22.7%. The election was a personal triumph for Zaia, who was the most voted President among the seven elected on 31 May. Other two candidates, Jacopo Berti of the Five Star Movement (M5S) and Flavio Tosi of the Tosi List for Veneto (LTV), the splinter group from the LN, got more than 10% of the vote and finished both at 11.9%. A fifth, Alessio Morosin of Venetian Independence (IV), and a sixth, Laura Coletti of the Communist Refoundation Party (PRC), won 2.5% and 0.9% of the vote, respectively.
Among the parties, the LN, which presented an official list and a list named after Zaia (however composed mainly of party members), improved its 2010's performance, by gaining 40.9% of the vote (combined result of the two lists, which obtained 17.8% and 23.1%, respectively). If the two LN-related lists are counted together, the PD came second with 16.7% of the vote (20.5% if Moretti's personal list is counted) and the M5S third with 10.4%. The combined score of the two lists connected to the LTV was 7.1%, while the once-mighty Forza Italia (heir of The People of Freedom and, before that, the original Forza Italia) stopped at 6.0%.
The total score of Venetist and regional parties, a diverse field including the Liga Veneta, the LTV, Venetian Independence, Independence We Veneto, the North-East Union, Autonomous Veneto Project and Veneto Confederal State, was 54.3%, then a record.

## Electoral system

The new electoral system of Veneto was regulated by the regional law 5/2012. The assembly was made up of 50 councilors (including the candidate for president who came second), plus the president proclaimed elected. After the elimination of the president's list, the distribution of seats remained proportional (with the D'Hondt method), but with a variable majority premium: the winning coalition is assigned 29 seats if it manages to exceed 50% of the preferences; 28 seats if he got between 40% and 50% of the votes; only 27 if it remained below 40%. A 3% threshold was set for single lists or lists belonging to coalitions that did not exceed 5% of the votes.

## Parties and candidates
### Candidates

* Luca Zaia (Veneto 2015), incumbent President and former minister of Agriculture;
* Alessandra Moretti (Alessandra Moretti for President), former member of the Chamber of Deputies and MEP;
* Jacopo Berti (Five Star Movement), entrepreneur and activist;
* Flavio Tosi (Flavio Tosi for President), mayor of Verona and former regional minister of Health;
* Alessio Morosin (Morosin for President), former regional councillor;
* Laura Coletti (The Other Veneto), teacher and activist.

### Coalitions and parties

| Political party or alliance | Political party or alliance | Constituent lists | Constituent lists | Previous result | Previous result | Candidate |
| Political party or alliance | Political party or alliance | Constituent lists | Constituent lists | Votes (%) | Seats | Candidate |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Northern League – Venetian League (LN–LV) | 35.2 | 18 | Luca Zaia |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Forza Italia (FI) | 24.7 | 13 | Luca Zaia |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Zaia for President (ZP) | — | — | Luca Zaia |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Independence We Veneto (INV) | — | — | Luca Zaia |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Brothers of Italy (FdI) | — | — | Luca Zaia |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Democratic Party (PD) | 20.3 | 14 | Alessandra Moretti |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Autonomous Veneto Project (PVA) | 0.2 | – | Alessandra Moretti |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Moretti for President (MP) | — | — | Alessandra Moretti |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Civic Veneto (incl. PSI, SC and IdV) | — | — | Alessandra Moretti |
| | Centre-left coalition | | New Veneto (SEL – European Greens – SV) | — | — | Alessandra Moretti |
| | Centrist coalition | | Popular Area (NCD – UDC) | 4.9 | 3 | Flavio Tosi |
| | Centrist coalition | | North-East Union (UNE) | 1.5 | 1 | Flavio Tosi |
| | Centrist coalition | | Tosi List for Veneto (LTV) | — | — | Flavio Tosi |
| | Centrist coalition | | Veneto of Acting | — | — | Flavio Tosi |
| | Centrist coalition | | Pensioners' Family (FP) | — | — | Flavio Tosi |
| | Centrist coalition | | Breed Piave – Veneto Confederal State | — | — | Flavio Tosi |
| | Five Star Movement (M5S) | Five Star Movement (M5S) | Five Star Movement (M5S) | 2.6 | – | Jacopo Berti |
| | The Other Veneto (incl. PRC and PCdI) | The Other Veneto (incl. PRC and PCdI) | The Other Veneto (incl. PRC and PCdI) | 1.6 | 1 | Laura Coletti |
| | Venetian Independence (IV) | Venetian Independence (IV) | Venetian Independence (IV) | — | — | Alessio Morosin |

## Results

31 May 2015 Venetian regional election results :
| Candidates | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats | Parties | Parties | Votes | % | Seat |
| | Luca Zaia | 1,108,065 | 50.09 | 1 |
| | Luca Zaia | 1,108,065 | 50.09 | 1 | | Zaia for President | 427,363 | 23.09 | 13 |
| | Luca Zaia | 1,108,065 | 50.09 | 1 | | Northern League – Venetian League | 329,966 | 17.83 | 10 |
| | Luca Zaia | 1,108,065 | 50.09 | 1 | | Forza Italia | 110,573 | 5.97 | 3 |
| | Luca Zaia | 1,108,065 | 50.09 | 1 | | Independence We Veneto | 49,929 | 2.70 | 1 |
| | Luca Zaia | 1,108,065 | 50.09 | 1 | | Brothers of Italy | 48,163 | 2.60 | 1 |
| | Luca Zaia | 1,108,065 | 50.09 | 1 | Total | Total | 965,994 | 52.19 | 28 |
| | Alessandra Moretti | 503,147 | 22.74 | 1 |
| | Alessandra Moretti | 503,147 | 22.74 | 1 | | Democratic Party | 308,438 | 16.66 | 8 |
| | Alessandra Moretti | 503,147 | 22.74 | 1 | | Moretti for President | 70,764 | 3.82 | 2 |
| | Alessandra Moretti | 503,147 | 22.74 | 1 | | Civic Veneto | 26,903 | 1.45 | 1 |
| | Alessandra Moretti | 503,147 | 22.74 | 1 | | New Veneto (SEL – European Greens – SV) | 20,282 | 1.10 | – |
| | Alessandra Moretti | 503,147 | 22.74 | 1 | | Autonomous Veneto Project | 6,242 | 0.34 | – |
| | Alessandra Moretti | 503,147 | 22.74 | 1 | Total | Total | 432,629 | 23.37 | 11 |
| | Jacopo Berti | 262,749 | 11.88 | – | | Five Star Movement | 192,630 | 10.41 | 5 |
| | Flavio Tosi | 262,569 | 11.87 | – |
| | Flavio Tosi | 262,569 | 11.87 | – | | Tosi List for Veneto | 105,836 | 5.72 | 3 |
| | Flavio Tosi | 262,569 | 11.87 | – | | Popular Area (NCD – UDC) | 37,937 | 2.05 | 1 |
| | Flavio Tosi | 262,569 | 11.87 | – | | Veneto of Acting | 26,119 | 1.41 | 1 |
| | Flavio Tosi | 262,569 | 11.87 | – | | Pensioners' Family | 14,625 | 0.79 | – |
| | Flavio Tosi | 262,569 | 11.87 | – | | North-East Union | 11,173 | 0.60 | – |
| | Flavio Tosi | 262,569 | 11.87 | – | | Breed Piave – Veneto Confederal State | 3,487 | 0.19 | – |
| | Flavio Tosi | 262,569 | 11.87 | – | Total | Total | 199,177 | 10.76 | 5 |
| | Alessio Morosin | 55,760 | 2.52 | – | | Venetian Independence | 46,578 | 2.52 | – |
| | Laura Coletti | 19,914 | 0.90 | – | | The Other Veneto | 13,997 | 0.76 | – |
| Total candidates | Total candidates | 2,212,204 | 100.00 | 2 | Total parties | Total parties | 1,851,005 | 100.00 | 49 |
| Source: Ministry of the Interior ||||||||||

### Council composition

Distribution of Seats in the Regional Council :
| Political Group | Leader | 2015 | 2020 |
| Liga Veneta–Lega Nord | Nicola Finco | 11 | 12 |
| Zaia for President | Silvia Rizzotto | 13 | 10 |
| Democratic Party | Alessandra Moretti / Stefano Fracasso | 9 | 7 |
| Five Star Movement | rotational leadership | 5 | 4 |
| Brothers of Italy | Sergio Berlato / Andrea Bassi | 1 | 3 |
| Forza Italia / More Italy!–I Love Veneto | Massimiliano Barison / Massimo Giorgetti | 3 | 2 |
| Civic Veneto / United Venetians | Pietro Dalla Libera | 1 | 2 |
| Tosi List for Veneto / Veneto for Autonomy–Forza Italia | Stefano Casali / Maurizio Conte | 3 | 1 |
| Moretti President / Civic List for Veneto | Franco Ferrari | 2 | 1 |
| NCD–UdC–Popular Area / Popular Area–Forza Italia | Marino Zorzato | 1 | 1 |
| Independence We Veneto / We Are Veneto / Party of Venetians | Antonio Guadagnini | 1 | 1 |
| Veneto of Acting / Veneto Autonomous Heart | Giovanna Negro | 1 | 1 |
| Venetian Centre-Right | Stefano Casali / Andrea Bassi | 0 | 0 |
| Mixed Group | Piero Ruzzante | 0 | 6 |
Sources: Regional Council of Veneto – Groups and Regional Council of Veneto – Members
Notes
* ↑ All the group members were affiliated to Liga Veneta–Lega Nord. See http://www.larena.it/territori/citt%C3%A0/valdegamberipassa-nel-gruppo-misto-1.5531130.
* ↑ Three members left the group for technical reasons: Nicola Finco in order to lead the group of Liga Veneta–Lega Nord, Stefano Valdegamberi to balance the composition of the Mixed Group, and Fabiano Barbisan to help the formation of the Venetian Centre-Right group.
* ↑ The group was originally composed of just one member, Sergio Berlato, who left in February 2020 in order to become an MEP. He was replaced by Joe Formaggio. Contextually, the group was joined by Andrea Bassi and Stefano Casali, splinters of Tosi List for Veneto and, later, founding members of Venetian Centre-Right. The party counts two more councillors, Elena Donazzan and Massimo Giorgetti, who were splinters from Forza Italia and continue to sit in their original group. Af sixth coincillor, Massimiliano Barison, was a member of Brothers of Italy and the group from January 2018 to June 2019.
* ↑ The remaining two members of the group, Massimo Giorgetti and Elena Donazzan, were no longer affiliated to Forza Italia by mid 2018, both citing disagreements with the party's regional leadership. In December 2018 Donazzan launched I Love Veneto. In February 2019 Giorgetti joined Brothers of Italy, but chose not to join that party's group and to maintain his affiliation with Donazzan. In March 2019 the name of the group was finally changed. In June 2019 also Donazzan joined Brothers of Italy.
* ↑ Founding member Piero Dalla Libera was elected as part of the centre-left coalition and then switched its allegiance to the majority led by President Luca Zaia. In June 2019 he was joined by Massimiliano Barison, a former member of Forza Italia and Brothers of Italy.
* ↑ Maurizio Conte joined Forza Italia in August 2017, but was not able to add the party's name to that of the group until March 2019.
* ↑ Marino Zorzato joined Forza Italia in November 2018, but was not able to add the party's name to that of the group until March 2019.
* ↑ The group was formed in May 2017 by Fabiano Barbisan of Liga Veneta, who joined the group for technical purposes, and two splinters of the Tosi List for Veneto, Andrea Bassi and Stefano Casali. In February 2020 the latter two joined Brothers of Italy and the group was thus dissolved.
* ↑ Final members: Piero Ruzzante, splinter of the Democratic Party and member of Article One; Stefano Valdegamberi, a former member of the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats and elect of the Zaia President list in 2015 (he officially joined Liga Veneta in June 2020); Patrizia Bartelle, splinter of the Five Star Movement and member of Italia in Comune; Fabiano Barbisan, a member of Liga Veneta who had been a member of Venetian Centre-Right from May 2017 to February 2020; Cristina Guarda, a member of the Federation of Greens; and Orietta Salemi, a member of Italia Viva. Ruzzante's latest affiliation was with "The Veneto We Want" (a grouping formed by Arturo Lorenzoni; Valdegamberi's Tzimbar Earde, "Cimbrian Land", due to his Cimbrian roots; Bertelle's "Veneto Ecology Solidarity".

## Aftermath

Following the election, Luca Zaia formed his second government, composed of ten ministers, nine of Liga Veneta and one of Forza Italia.
Zaia II Government :
| Office | Name | Party |
| President | Luca Zaia | Liga Veneta |
| Vice President | Gianluca Forcolin (until August 2020) | Liga Veneta |
| Minister of Budget and Local Government | Gianluca Forcolin (until August 2020) | Liga Veneta |
| Minister of Health and Social Programs | Luca Coletto (until December 2018) | Liga Veneta |
| Minister of Health and Social Programs | Manuela Lanzarin (since January 2019) | Liga Veneta |
| Minister of Economic Development and Energy | Roberto Marcato | Liga Veneta |
| Minister of Public Works, Infrastructures and Transports | Elisa De Berti | Liga Veneta |
| Minister of Agriculture, Hunting and Fishing | Giuseppe Pan | Liga Veneta |
| Minister of Education and Labour | Elena Donazzan | Forza Italia (until 2018) Brothers of Italy (since 2019) |
| Minister of Social Affairs | Manuela Lanzarin | Liga Veneta |
| Minister of EU Programs, Tourism and International Trade | Federico Caner | Liga Veneta |
| Minister of Environment and Civil Protection | Gianpaolo Bottacin | Liga Veneta |
| Minister of Culture, City Planning and Security | Cristiano Corazzari | Liga Veneta |
Source: Veneto Region – Regional Government