The Regional Council of Veneto passed yesterday a resolution giving a mandate to Venetian president Luca Zaia to start the process to hold a referendum on self-determination. As approved by Veneto councilors, Zaia should now "urgently start institutional relations with the EU and the UN in order to guarantee the holding of a vote" among the "Venetian people" on its "self-determination". The proposal was passed with the votes of Lega Nord (Padanian federalists) and People of Liberty (Italian centre-right). The Union of Christian and Centre Democrats abstained and the Democratic Party (Italian social democrats) stayed off the meeting, arguing that a mere vote on self-determination is against Italian laws.

Zaia admitted that no current legislation allows to hold a referendum in Veneto. But he also mentioned that the resolution foresees that an independent group of lawyers will analyze the issue and will eventually establish if the vote can be legally held. Zaia added that he would "probably" vote "yes" to independence.

Anyway, some precedents put a question mark on the real scope of the resolution. Two weeks ago, Zaia himself introduced a proposal that would enlarge the autonomy of Veneto while preserving the unity of the Italian state. He dubbed the idea as "variable geometry federalism" and he said that it was a middle way between outright secessionism and Rome centralism.

In addition to this, it must be recalled that the Regional Council of Veneto had already passed a resolution on self-determination in 1998. The text included a proposal for a popular vote that was never implemented.

Sardinian party proposes to declare independence

Almost at the same time that Venetians consider the pros and cons of a referendum, Sardinian Action Party (PSd'Az) has introduced a motion in the Regional Council of Sardinia in order to have a declaration passed that turns the island into an independent state. After being approved, PSd'Az says, the declaration of independence should be "put to the vote of the Sardinian people".

PSd'Az has gathered enough support to hold a debate on the declaration in the Regional Council. The next meeting of the Council is scheduled for 4th of December.

The party considers that decades of disrespect for Sardinians by the Italian government justifies the declaration of independence by the Mediterranean island.