Liga Veneta was promoted in 1978 by Franco Rocchetta, a Venetian philologist who had been speaking of a "Venetian league" since 1968. The party constitution, modelled on those of the Valdostan Union and the Radical Party, was officially signed by 14 founding members on 16 January 1980 in Padua and Achille Tramarin was elected national secretary. Shortly after, some hardliners, led by Luigi Faccia and Flavio Contin, left the party: in 1987 they would launch the Most Serene Venetian Government and in 1997 would organise the St Mark's Campanile's "assault" (see Venetian nationalism). Another split occurred in 1983: Giulio Pizzati's Liga Federativa Veneta.