ITALIAN
POLITICAL
SYSTEM
JOHN 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?

HISTORY
A. 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 powers
A. Attacked by Gauls and powerful Phoenician City-states of
Carthage
B. 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
SYSTEM
THE 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.
Chamber of Deputies
has 630 members,
elected by all citizens aged at least
18;
only citizens of at least 25 can be
elected
Senate of the Republic
comprising 315 members elected by
all citizens aged 25 or over and
must be al least 40 years old.

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.