After having supported Giancarlo Galan for ten years as President of Veneto, Liga Veneta–Lega Nord, soon reclaimed the post of President for one of itself, with Luca Zaia or Flavio Tosi as likeliest choices. Since the early days Zaia was the strongest candidate. According to an opinion poll, 72% of Venetian voters liked him and 67% considered him practised, a 49% would back him as President, while only 37% would back Galan. Moreover, centre-right voters preferred Zaia to Galan by an 8-point margin. Differently from the incumbent president, Zaia was popular among the young and non-autonomous workers, who generally back the left. Galan and the regional section of the PdL disagreed and wanted a fourth term for Galan, who was first elected in 1995. At some point a three-way race in Veneto between Galan, Zaia and a candidate of the Democratic Party seemed possible, but neither Berlusconi nor Umberto Bossi, federal secretary of Lega Nord, liked the idea. In December 2009 the national committee of The People of Freedom determined that it would have supported a leghista in Veneto. Subsequently the National Council of Liga Veneta nominated Zaia for President. Tosi, who as president of Liga Veneta presided the Council, tried until the last minute to be the candidate and some councillors opted for Franco Manzato instead. However, as a strong majority backed Zaia, Zaia was voted unanimously by the Council, including Tosi. The Venetian PdL is afraid that Liga Veneta, headed by Zaia, will dominate regional politics for many years to come, similarly to what the South Tyrolean People's Party has done in South Tyrol. According to another opinion poll, in the forthcoming election, with Zaia candidate, the PdL would be reduced to a mere 23% with the League at 35% and Zaia would beat Galan also in a three-way race. Galan, who has seldom hinted the idea of forming a Venetist party of his own, was rumored as independent candidate supported by the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats and, less likely, by the opposition Democratic Party. However Galan ruled out the idea of running against his party and Zaia, opening the way for a bid by Antonio De Poli, UDC regional leader. The UDC refused to join forces with the centre-left, leaving the PD to choose between Laura Puppato, Mayor of Montebelluna, who had expressed her interest for the race and Giuseppe Bortolussi, respected leader of the Mestre section of Confartigianato. The PD eventually chose Bortolussi, who beat Puppato by 39 votes to 29 in the regional board of the party.
Candidates
Luca Zaia, supported by Liga Veneta–Lega Nord, The People of Freedom and Alliance of the Centre
After the election, Luca Zaia formed his first government, composed of twelve ministers, six of Liga Veneta, that maintained the strategic Health portfolio and gained, above all, Budget and Finances, and six of the PdL, including Marino Zorzato, who was sworn as Vice President, and Renato Chisso, who was confirmed for a third consecutive term as Minister of Infrastructures and Transports.
