ITALIAN POLITICAL SYSTEMJOHN LAWRENCE CARANDANG

INTRODUCTION• Italy is a Parliamentary Republic.

• The Constitution of the Italian Republic was enacted by the Constituent Assembly on 22 December 1947 and had effect from 01 January 1948.

• Power is divided among the executive, the legislative and judicial branches.

• How did it happen?

HISTORYA. The myth: Romulus and Remus

B. Roman Republic

A. A system based on annually elected magistrates and various representative assemblies

B. Constitution – sets separation of powersA. Attacked by Gauls and powerful Phoenician City-states of

CarthageB. Caesar’s assassination – brought political crises and

social unrest

C. Roman Empire

A. Augustus (Octavian : sole ruler of the Republic)B. Assume absolute powers monarchs

HISTORY

D. Unification of City-states

E. Dictatorial Regime

F. Birth of the Republic

• Constitutional referendum to decide whether Italy should remain monarch or become a republic. (June 2, 1946; 54% voted for republic)

• Economic miracle: dramatic rise in the standard of living

G. 2nd Republic : 1994-present

ITALIAN POLITICAL SYSTEMTHE CONSTITUTION ESTABLISHED A GOVERNMENT, WHICH WAS MADE UP OF A PRESIDENT, THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS HEADED BY A PRIME MINISTER, AND A PARLIAMENT WITH A SENATE AND A CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ITALIAN GOVERNMENT BODIES.

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC•  Head of the State and represents national unity

• He is elected by the two chambers of Parliament in joint session for a period of seven years at the end of which he can be re-elected.

• He appoints the Prime Minister and five judges of the Constitutional Court.

• He can veto bills and send them to Parliament for a new inspection.

• He must be a native-born Italin citizen at least 50 years old.

• President Giorgio Napolitano

 IF THE PRESIDENT OF ITALY IS SICK, THE __________________________________ TAKES OVER THE JOB. IF THE PRESIDENT DIES, ____________________________________________.

COMPLETE THE SENTENCE

 IF THE PRESIDENT OF ITALY IS SICK, THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN SENATE TAKES OVER THE JOB. IF THE PRESIDENT DIES, A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS HELD.

• The executive power is exercised by the government under the direction of the Prime Minister, also called President of the Council of the Ministers.

• He is appointed by the President of the Republic and chooses his ministers.

• The government must be supported by a parliamentary majority.

• All the ministers are jointly responsible for the implementation of the country's laws and can propose new bills to Parliament.

PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

• decides a national policy and is the most important person in the Italian government.

• The prime minister is picked by the president, but can be voted out of office any time. 

• Members of the cabinet are picked by the prime minister, and usually come from the members of Parliament.

• The president then appoints the members to the cabinet, and they are approved by Parliament. The Italian prime minister and the cabinet are officially called the government.

• Matteo Renzi 

• president of the Council of Ministers

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• The legislative power is exercised by Parliament, which consists of two houses, whose members are elected directly by the people

• Both houses are elected for a maximum of five years, but they may be dissolved before the expiration of their normal term. All bills must be passed by both Houses before being turned into laws.

POLITICAL PARTIES• a Centre-Left one known as Italy, Common Good - a

descendant of the Olive Tree coalition - which consists of seven parties and is led by Enrico Letta of the Democratic Party (PD)

• a Centre-Right one - a descendant of the Pole of Freedoms - which consists of eight parties and is led by Silvio Berlusconi of the People of Freedom (PdL)

JUDICIAL BRANCH• Courts

•  Judges of courts appoint rather than elect.

• The Italian judges get appointments during service exams.

• The President of the Parliament picks five of the judges from the constitution court, and 5 are by judges of other courts.

• The courts work under a national ministry for a justice panel of the judges.

• The Constitutional Court of Italy is the country's supreme court

• It is composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the President, one-third elected by the Parliament, and one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative supreme courts.

• The Constitutional Court is a post-war innovation.

• The other senior court is the Court of Cassation.