Renato Martin
{{Short description|Italian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
Renato Martin (Jesolo, 1963) is an Italian politician.
Political career
A member of Liga Veneta–Lega Nord and close friend of Jörg Haider, Martin was elected Mayor of Jesolo in 1993 and re-elected in 1997. In 1998, when Liga Veneta split between Venetists and Padanists, Martin sided with the second group. However, after he had lost the leadership race to Gian Paolo Gobbo, he too chose to leave the party. In 1999 he thus launched Veneto Padanian Federal Republic (Veneto Repubblica Federale Padana, VRFP), a short-lived Venetist-Padanist party rooted above all in Jesolo.Francesco Jori, Dalla Łiga alla Lega. Storia, movimenti, protagonisti, Marsilio, Venice 2009, pp. 115-117 In 2002 Martin's list won the municipal elections there{{cite web|url=http://www.repubblica.it/elezioni2002/comuni/iesolo.html|title=Repubblica.it|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}} and Martin, who was not allowed to serve a third term as Mayor, was appointed Deputy-Mayor by his protégé Francesco Calzavara.
After the brief experience of VRFP, Martin joined Forza Italia as an independent and served as regional councillor in Veneto.{{cite web|url=http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?p=5&n=5&c=1&e=12&t=0&key=875|title=Consiglio Regionale Veneto - Il Consiglio|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}} Those who disagreed with Martin's decision to join Forza Italia formed the Party for Independent Veneto (Partito per il Veneto Indipendente) under Fabrizio Dal Col.{{Cite web |url=http://nuovavenezia.gelocal.it/cronaca/2011/11/02/news/aspetto-martin-ma-deve-prima-vincere-le-primarie-1.1642546 |title="Aspetto Martin ma deve prima vincere le primarie" - Cronaca - la Nuova di Venezia |access-date=2012-03-04 |archive-date=2014-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201171919/http://nuovavenezia.gelocal.it/cronaca/2011/11/02/news/aspetto-martin-ma-deve-prima-vincere-le-primarie-1.1642546 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://nuovavenezia.gelocal.it/cronaca/2011/11/29/news/sara-martin-il-candidato-del-pdl-1.1709957 |title=Sarà Martin il candidato del PDL - Cronaca - la Nuova di Venezia |access-date=2012-03-04 |archive-date=2014-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201171916/http://nuovavenezia.gelocal.it/cronaca/2011/11/29/news/sara-martin-il-candidato-del-pdl-1.1709957 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.lindipendenza.com/12181/ |title=SINDACI, E' l'ORA DI MUOVERSI VERSO IL REFERENDUM | L'Indipendenza |access-date=2012-03-04 |archive-date=2012-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302190646/http://www.lindipendenza.com/12181/ |url-status=dead }} This party was instrumental in the organization of a "referendum for self-determination" in Jesolo (on the example of Catalan independence referendums), which was celebrated in September 2009: only the 20% of voters showed up, but 97% of them voted in favour of independence.{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/cronaca/2009/28-settembre-2009/referendum-autodeterminazione-voto-su-cinque-1601817255909.shtml|title=Referendum sull'autodeterminazione, al voto uno su cinque - Corriere del Veneto}}
Martin had however a troubled relationship with Forza Italia: for instance, in 2007 he tried to unseat Calzavara, who had become a full member of Forza Italia, but he lost.{{cite web|url=http://www.repubblica.it/speciale/2007/elezioni/comunali/iesolo.html|title=Speciale elezioni 2007 - Elezioni amministrative|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}}