Roberto Marcato

{{short description|Italian politician}}

Roberto Marcato (born 18 July 1968 in Castelfranco Veneto) is a Venetist politician from Veneto, Italy.

A member of Liga Veneta–Lega Nord since 1992, Marcato was soon involved in municipal politics in his hometown, Piombino Dese. In the 2004 provincial election he was elected for the first time to the Provincial Council of Padua and served, successively, as provincial minister of the Environment and vice president.{{cite web|url=http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/pageContainer.jsp?n=5&p=5&c=1&e=12&t=0&key=1246|title=Consiglio Regionale Veneto - Il Consiglio|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}}

In 2012 Marcato, an ardent Venetist, supporter of Luca Zaia, close ally of Massimo Bitonci and loyal to former Lega Nord leader Umberto Bossi, was also elected provincial secretary of Liga Veneta,{{cite web|url=http://www.ilgazzettino.it/NORDEST/PADOVA/la_segreteria_della_lega_ai_quot_bossiani_quot_marcato_supera_paiusco_al_fotofinish/notizie/193264.shtml|title=Il Gazzettino.it|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.padovaoggi.it/politica/lega-padova-segreteria-provinciale-roberto-marcato-2012.html|title=Lega, a Padova vince la "vecchia guardia": eletto il bossiano Marcato|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.miglioverde.eu/marcato/|title=A PADOVA VINCE IL CERCHIO: MARCATO SEGRETARIO PROVINCIALE - MiglioVerde|date=29 April 2012|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}} making Padua the only province of Veneto where the old guard held, but soon started to clash with the party's new national secretary, Flavio Tosi.{{cite web|url=http://www.ilgazzettino.it/PAY/NAZIONALE_PAY/difficile_che_tosi_si_dimentichi_di_lui_roberto_marcato_46_anni_presidente_del/notizie/1216984.shtml|title=Difficile che Tosi si dimentichi di lui: Roberto Marcato, 46 anni, presidente del|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}} In this respect, Marcato was twice suspended by Tosi from his role{{cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2012/28-agosto-2012/lega-tosi-commissaria-padova-bufera-mossa-vietata-statuto-2111590222009.shtml|title=La Lega di Tosi commissaria Padova E' bufera. "Mossa vietata dallo statuto"|first=Antonio|last=Spadaccino|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/politica/2013/10-agosto-2013/tosi-azzera-lega-padova-bragantini-sara-commissario-2222564218766.shtml|title=Tosi azzera la Lega di Padova Bragantini sarà commissario|first=Marco|last=Bonet|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}} and came very close to being ejected from the party altogether.{{cite web|url=http://mattinopadova.gelocal.it/padova/cronaca/2014/10/10/news/lega-nord-i-tosiani-vogliono-l-espulsione-di-roberto-marcato-1.10090258|title=Lega Nord, i tosiani vogliono l'espulsione di Roberto Marcato - Cronaca - Il Mattino di Padova|date=10 October 2014|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}}

In 2014 Marcato was instrumental in Bitonci's successful bid to become mayor of Padua and, after the election, he was elected president of the municipal council.{{cite web|url=http://www.padova24ore.it/politica/7692-consiglio-comunale-eletto-roberto-marcato-presidente-allunanimita.html|title=Consiglio comunale: eletto Roberto Marcato presidente all'unanimita'|last=Redazione|date=23 June 2014|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}}

In the 2015 regional election, which came after Tosi had been sidelined from the federal party, Marcato was elected to the Regional Council of Veneto and, after the election, was appointed regional minister of Economic Development and Energy in Zaia's second government,{{cite web|url=http://www.regione.veneto.it/web/guest/comunicati-stampa/dettaglio-comunicati?_spp_detailId=2901727|title=Regione Veneto - Dettaglio Comunicati Stampa|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.padovaoggi.it/politica/elezioni/regionali-veneto-2015/zaia-giunta-assessori-regionali-padova-roberto-marcato-giuseppe-pan.html|title=Zaia presenta la sua nuova giunta Due assessori regionali da Padova|publisher=|accessdate=31 March 2017}} thus resigning from Padua's municipal council.

Re-elected in the 2020 regional election, Marcato was appointed regional minister of Economic Development, Energy and Special Status for Venice in Zaia's third government.{{Cite web|url=http://www.regioni.it/newsletter/n-3931/del-19-10-2020/veneto-zaia-vara-la-nuova-giunta-21794/|title = Regioni.it - n. 3931 del 19-10-2020 - Veneto: Zaia vara la nuova Giunta - Regioni.it}} During this time, he fell out with Bitonci and, in the run-up of the party's 2023 regional congress, he led the challenge of traditional wing, before retiring from the race.{{cite web | url=https://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/notizie/politica/23_giugno_20/lega-roberto-marcato-ritira-la-candidatura-per-la-segreteria-lo-faccio-con-il-cuore-in-gola-distrutto-un-sogno-90435869-c50a-4737-a50c-425d6ed72xlk.shtml | title=Lega, Roberto Marcato ritira la candidatura per la segreteria: «Lo faccio con il cuore in gola, distrutto un sogno» | date=20 June 2023 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.ilgazzettino.it/nordest/padova/lega_roberto_marcato_ritiro_candidatura_congresso_segreteria_regionale_alberto_stefani_candidatura_franco_manzato-7473945.html | title=Lega, Marcato si sfila: «Hanno ucciso un sogno». E avverte: Niente ritorsioni. Congresso, sarà duello Stefani-Manzato | date=21 June 2023 }}