North-East Project
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| North-East Project | |
|---|---|
| President | Thomas Panto |
| Secretary | Mariangelo Foggiato |
| Founded | June 2004 |
| Headquarters | unknown |
| Newspaper | none |
| Membership | unknown |
| Ideology | Venetism, Fiscal federalism, Federalism, Regionalism, Libertarianism |
| Coalition | none |
| International | none |
| European party | none |
| European Parliament Group | none |
| Website | http://www.progetto nordest.org |
The North-East Project (Progetto NordEst, PNE) is a strongly Venetist, fiscal federalist and libertarian party based in Veneto, demanding autonomy, if not complete independence for this region.
Contents |
[edit] History
The party was founded in June 2004 by Giorgio Panto, along with former members of the Liga Veneta-Lega Nord and former members of Liga Fronte Veneto, as Venetist historian Ettore Beggiato. Panto himself had been a long-time supporter of Lega Nord, but he distanced from it when he perceived it too moderate and Lombardy-centred.
PNE scored 5.4% at the 2005 regional election in Veneto, electing two members in the Regional Council, Mariangelo Foggiato and Diego Cancian, while Giorgio Panto, who was candidate for President and run on a campaign based on the slogan "Dignity. Autonomy for Veneto", took 6.0% (16.1% in the stronghold of Treviso). The key-issue for the party within the Regional Council has since been transforming Veneto in an autonomous region as the neighbours Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Friuli-Venezia Giulia are.
In 2006 national elections the party scored 2.7% in Veneto and the 0.7% in Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the contest for the Chamber of Deputies, while the list for the Senate, headed by Panto, did not go further the 3.5%, failing to elect him senator (he would have needed to surpass the 8.0% threshold for parties non affiliated to a national coalition). In provincial elections of the same year, Panto and PNE scored respectively the 10.3 and the 10.8% in Treviso.
After the sudden death in an helicopter accident of leader Giorgio Panto on 26 November 2006, the future of the party, which was heavily dependent on his leadership, personality and cash, is unclear. It is likely that the party will form an alliance with the People of Freedom and Liga Veneta at the regional level. However, after that talks with the leaders of the centre-right failed, PNE decided not to present a list for the 2008 general election, thus helping Liga Veneta, which won 27.1% of the vote in the Region.
[edit] Ideology
PNE, which is active also in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, proposes the creation of a "macro-region" (macro-regione) through the merger of Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. This is the main difference from other Venetist parties and the reason for the party's name.
The party is also more economically liberal and libertarian than its principal competitors, Liga Veneta and Forza Italia. Among other issues, it tends to be very similar to the other Venetist parties.
[edit] Leadership
- President: Giorgio Panto (2004–06), Thomas Panto (2007–...)
- Secretary: Mariangelo Foggiato (2004–...)
