Renato Martin

Renato Martin (Quarto d'Altino, 1963) is an Italian politician.
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 (VRFP), a short-lived Venetist-Padanist party that had some success only in Jesolo. In 2002 Martin's list won the municipal elections there and Martin, who was not allowed to serve a third thirm 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. He 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.