Community Democratic League

{{Short description|Italian political party}}

The Community Democratic League (Lega Democratica Comunitaria, LDC) was a Venetist and Christian-socialist political party active in Veneto.

The party was founded in July 2011 by some splinters of Liga Veneta–Lega Nord (LV–LN) led by Davide Lovat. Lovat had been an activist of Liga Veneta in the province of Vicenza for 18 years before becoming a leading voice against the party leadership.{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2010/5-ottobre-2010/leghista-che-previde-scandali-piu-merito-meno-padrini-1703884181580.shtml|title = Il leghista che previde gli scandali "Più merito e meno padrini" - Corriere del Venet"}}{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2011/1-marzo-2011/lovat-rottamatore-espulso-cacciato-solo-perche-ho-detto-cose-vere-190123841986.shtml|title = Lovat, il rottamatore espulso: "Cacciato solo perché ho detto cose vere" - Corriere del Venet"}} A keen Venetist and left-winger, in February 2011 he was expelled from the party.{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2011/28-febbraio-2011/bufera-lega-espulso-ribelle-lovat-190117071835.shtml|title=Bufera nella Lega espulso il ribelle Lovat - Corriere del Veneto}} Some months on, along with other splinters from LV–LN, Lovat started organizing the LDC.

The name "Community Democratic League" was chosen by Lovat, who has studied political science and theology, as a reference both to the "National Democratic League" of Romolo Murri, a radical priest, and the National League for Democracy of Nobel Peace Prize Aung San Suu Kyi. Lovat set the party in the tradition of Christian socialism and early Venetian nationalism. According to its manifesto, the LDC supported regionalism, the reform of the Italian Constitution following the German model, restrictions to immigration on economic grounds, and European integration in the form of the Gaullist "Europe of Peoples and Nations". The party opposed xenophobia, neo-liberalism, the exploitation of religions for political purposes, and the influence of the United States over Europe.{{cite web |url=http://www.vicenzapiu.com/leggi/e-nata-la-lega-democratica-comunitaria-il-suo-manifesto-in-otto-punti |title=E' nata la Lega Democratica Comunitaria, Lovat: il suo manifesto in otto punti » VicenzaPiù |website=www.vicenzapiu.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318004201/http://www.vicenzapiu.com/leggi/e-nata-la-lega-democratica-comunitaria-il-suo-manifesto-in-otto-punti |archive-date=2012-03-18}}

As soon as in September the LDC became an associate party of Magdi Allam's I Love Italy party,{{cite web |url=http://www.vicenzapiu.com/leggi/li-unisce-la-fede-nella-politica-magdi-allam-e-davide-lovat-io-amo-litalia-diventa-anche-io-amo-il-veneto |title=Li unisce la fede, nella politica. Magdi Allam e Davide Lovat: 'Io amo l'Italia & il Veneto' » VicenzaPiù |website=www.vicenzapiu.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111109094242/http://www.vicenzapiu.com/leggi/li-unisce-la-fede-nella-politica-magdi-allam-e-davide-lovat-io-amo-litalia-diventa-anche-io-amo-il-veneto |archive-date=2011-11-09}} while in October the party was integrated in the larger Venetian Project, including other small Venetist, autonomist, independentist and traditionalist parties and cultural associations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.vicenzatoday.it/politica/progetto-veneto-davide-lovat-anti-lega-nord.html|title=Nasce "Progetto Veneto", l'anti-Lega di Davide Lovat}}{{Cite web |url=http://notizie.bassanonet.it/politica/10473.html |title="Progetto Veneto è la risposta contro il fascismo di oggi" | News | bassanonet.it |access-date=2012-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304183318/http://notizie.bassanonet.it/politica/10473.html |archive-date=2012-03-04 |url-status=dead }}

In December 2012 the LDC was integrated into Veneto State (VS) and Lovat was chosen as the party's candidate for mayor of Vicenza.{{cite web |url=http://www.ilgiornaledivicenza.it/stories/Cronaca/443264_lovat__il_primo_anti-variati_con_noi_i_delusi_della_lega_davide_lovat/ |title=Il Giornale di Vicenza.it - Home - Cronaca |website=www.ilgiornaledivicenza.it |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218093625/http://www.ilgiornaledivicenza.it/stories/Cronaca/443264_lovat__il_primo_anti-variati_con_noi_i_delusi_della_lega_davide_lovat/ |archive-date=2012-12-18}} {{Cite web |url=http://www.lindipendenza.com/veneto-stato-fa-acquisti-davide-lovat-ex-lega-candidato-sindaco-di-vicenza/ |title=Veneto Stato: Davide Lovat (Ex Lega) candidato sindaco di Vicenza | l'Indipendenza |access-date=2012-12-14 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130128124943/http://www.lindipendenza.com/veneto-stato-fa-acquisti-davide-lovat-ex-lega-candidato-sindaco-di-vicenza/ |archive-date=2013-01-28 |url-status=dead }}