Venice votes to split from Italy

**bb1** Tue Mar 18, 2014 2:51 pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26604044

Voting has begun in Venice and the surrounding region on whether to break away from Italy.

Recent opinion polls suggest that two-thirds of the four million electorate favour splitting from Rome, but the vote will not be legally binding.

The poll was organised by local activists and parties, who want a future state called Republic of Veneto.

This would be reminiscent of the sovereign Venetian republic that existed for more than 1,000 years.

A focal point for culture, architecture and trade, Venice lost its independence to Napoleon in 1797.

Online voting is due to continue until Friday.

The vote received very little coverage in Italy's national media but the organisers said they expected as many as two million people to take part.
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The BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome says the vote reflects a growing separatist mood in parts of Europe, such as Spain's Catalonia region and Scotland, which votes on whether to become independent in September.

Moves towards independence often evoke more sympathy in wealthy northern Italy, where many resent what they see as the poorer south's waste and corruption.

Luca Zaia, governor of Veneto, the Venice region, rejected suggestions that the Italian constitution would prevent secession.

International law, he told Il Quotidiano, allowed "the right to self-determination".

**bb1** Sat Mar 22, 2014 4:22 pm

Venice votes to split from Italy as 89% of the city's residents opt to form a new independent state
Wealthy residents are opposing high taxes which support poorer south
Venice gets 21 billion euros less in grants than it gives in taxes per year
Overwhelming 89 per cent majority voted to break away from Italy
Activists have been working with SNP and attended rallies in Scotland

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2586531/Venice-votes-split-Italy-89-citys-residents-opt-form-new-independent-state.html#ixzz2wiWU8R15
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Good omen or what? biggrin

I do hope they bring back the Doge. The ruler, not the doggie bitcoin.

**lily** Sat Mar 22, 2014 4:55 pm

Good for them. People are beginning to say they don't want to have to support people who are not being responsible with other people's money.

Oh the Doge could take up residence in the Hotel Danieli like in days of yore.....

**bb1** Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:04 pm

They're also sick to death of unaccountable superstates, Lily, where those at the top have NO idea about life at the bottom.

Maybe Texas, etc., might like to think about it? biggrin

**lily** Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:26 pm

I believe that they have. biggrin

Something else that bugs me, the finger pointing and sneering at the 1% is typically done by those who BELONG TO the 1%. Pcorneater

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