Gianluca Busato (born Treviso, 14 May 1969) is an Italian entrepreneur, engineer, activist and politician[1][2][3] who is mostly known as the main organiser of the unofficial and online Venetian independence referendum, which took place in March 2014.
[1][4][5] In this capacity, he was convicted for having been an outspoken supporter of Padania and of the Venetian Most Serene Government's seizure of St. Mark's Campanile in Venice.
[6][7] This last event led Busato to abandon his early Padanist feelings and to adhere to the Venetian independence movement.
[8] In 2014 Busato came to regional prominence as the main organiser of Plebiscito.eu, an online referendum on Veneto's independence.
[11][12] This was enough for Busato and his followers to proclaim Veneto's independence from Italy in Treviso on the night of 21 March.