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Italy - Politics |
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Italy has been a democratic republic since June 2, 1946 when the monarchy was abolished by popular referendum. The constitution was promulgated on January 1, 1948.
The Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi party system. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Political Parties
The political landscape was transformed between 1992 and 1997. Scandal investigations helped a shift from a proportional to an additional member system - with a requirement to obtain a minimum of 4% of the national vote to obtain representation. Party changes were sweeping.
The Christian Democratic party dissolved; the Italian People's Party and the Christian Democratic Center emerged.
The Socialists support declined, the liberal movement - Forza Italia gained support. The Alleanza Nazionale ( National Alliance ) broke from the Italian Social
Movement. Two large coalitions emerged from the April 1995 regional elections.
For the elections in 1996 the center-left parties created the Olive Tree coalition and the center-righ united under the House of Freedoms.
Between 1996 and 2001 a series of center-left coalitions dominated.
In April 1996, national elections led to the victory of a center-left coalition, the
Olive Tree under the leadership of Romano Prodi. Prodi's government became the third-longest to stay in power before he narrowly lost a vote of confidence, by
three votes, in October 1998.
In May 1999, the Parliament selected Carlo Azeglio Ciampi as the President of the Republic.
A new government was formed by Democrats of the Left leader and former communist Massimo D'Alema, but in April 2000, following poor performance by his coalition in regional elections, D'Alema resigned.
The succeeding center-left government, including most of the same parties, was headed by Giuliano Amato (social-democratic), who previously served as Prime Minister in 1992-93.
National elections held on May 13, 2001 returned Berlusconi to power at the head of the five-party center-right "Freedom House" coalition.
The Italian State has twenty regions and about a hundred provinces. The constitution of Italy provides for twenty regions, most of them with limited governing powers. Regions are then divided into provinces. Provinces have their own local elections. For each of the provinces, a prefect is appointed by and responds to the central government, which he locally represents. |
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