Venice votes for independence in unofficial poll

A self-organised 'referendum' over the independence of Venice in March 2014, one of Italy’s wealthiest regions, resulted in an overwhelming victory for the separatist camp.

Authorities in Rome largely ignored the result, amid scepticism over the regularity of the informal, non-binding poll.

However, the online vote, organized by local independence parties, aimed to galvanise support for a bill calling for a referendum on whether the region of Veneto should split from Italy.

On the 2 April 2014, Italian police arrested 24 Veneto separatists on suspicion of planning a violent campaign aimed at gaining independence for the wealthy region.

• Primary Source

The Local.it, 17.03.14: Venetians 'no longer want to be part of Italy' http://www.thelocal.it/20140317/venetians-no-longer-want-to-be-part-of-italy

Wikipedia: Venetian Independence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venetian_Independence

BBC News, 16.03.14: Venice votes on splitting from Rome http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26604044

Euronews, 17.03.14: Arrivederci Roma: Venice to vote in week-long independence referendum http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/17/arrivederci-roma-venice-to-vote-on-week-long-independence-referendum/

La Repubblica, 24.03.14: Take separatism in Veneto seriously (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE140585-Take-separatism-in-Veneto-seriously

Deutsche Welle, 28.03.14: 'La Serenissima' for the 21st century http://dw.de/p/1BXhs

Euronews, 03.04.14: Veneto separatists arrested by Italian police http://www.euronews.com/2014/04/03/veneto-separatists-arrested-by-italian-police/

The Guardian, 02.04.14: Italian forces arrest Veneto separatists over alleged plot to attack Venice http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/02/italy-arrest-veneto-separatists-plot-tank

The Local.it, 07.04.14: Why Italy might not exist in five years http://www.thelocal.it/20140407/why-italy-might-not-exist-in-five-years

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