My contribution to a United Europe

Art. 1

Italy is a democratic Republic founded on labour. Sovereignty belongs to the people and is exercised by the people in the forms and within the limits of the Constitution.

As states the Constitution approved on the 1st January 1948, Italy is a Parliamentary Republic since the constitutional Referendum held on the 2nd June 1946.

The Italian Constitution establishes:

Right to workRight to educationRight to healthFreedom of religionFreedom of associationFreedom of assemblyFreedom of opinion and expressionFreedom of secrecy of correspondence

The Parliament is perfectly bicameral: the two houses, the Chamber of Deputies (that meets in Palazzo Montecitorio) and the Senate of the Republic (that meets in Palazzo Madama), have the same powers.

The separation of powers is a model for the governance of a state. The

normal division of branches, in Italy, is into a

legislature (to make laws), an executive (to apply and enforce laws), and a judiciary (to punish those who

will not obey laws). These three powers are separated and

compete each at a particular institution: legislative power (due to the Parliament: Chamber of Deputies

and the Senate of the Republic); executive power (due to Council of

Ministers and Chairman of the Board); and judiciary (Magistracy: Judge and

Court).

SENATE OF THE REPUBLIC

The Senate of the Republic is elected on a regional basis.

The number of senators to be elected is three hundred and fifteen.

Senators are elected by universal and direct suffrage by voters who are twenty-five years of age.

In the Italian legal system, in addition to the elected senators, there are also life senators. This is a charge that is

accessed by right, subject to waiver, to the emeritus presidents of the

Republic, upon completion of their terms as president. They are defined in

law and senators for life. In addition, the President of the Republic may

appoint five senators for life among the Italian citizens who have honored

“the Country for outstanding achievements in the social, scientific,

artistic and literary fields”.

CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES

The Chamber of deputies is elected by direct and universal suffrage.

The number of deputies is six hundred and thirty.

Deputies are elected by universal and direct suffrage by voters who are eighteen years of age.

Parliaments shall meet in joint session only in cases established by the Constitution.One of these cases is the election of the President of the Republic .

THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC

As the art.87 states the President of the Republic is the Head of the State and represents national unity.The President shall:

• promulgate laws

• call a general referendum

• accredit and receive diplomatic representatives

• ratify international treaties which have, where required, been authorised by Parliament.

The current President is Giorgio Napolitano, elected on May 2013 for the second mandate.

THE GOVERNMENTThe Government of the Republic

is made up of the President of the Board and the Ministers who together form the Council of Ministers.

The Government must receive the confidence of both Houses of Parliament.

The President of the Board conducts and holds responsibility for the general policy of the Government and ensures the coherence of political and administrative policies, by promoting and co-ordinating the activity of the Ministers.

The Italian territory is divided into 20 regions. Each region represents the

decentralized power of the state. Each region is a territorial entity with its own

statutes, powers and functions according to the principles laid down

by the Italian Constitution. The regions are, together with municipalities,

provinces, metropolitan cities and the central state, one of the five

constituent elements of the Italian Republic.

General Referendum The general referendum is a

means through which the people exercise their sovereignty directly.

Express democracyo The referendum is the greatest expression

of democracy.o A referendum (also known as a plebiscite or

a vote on a ballot question) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of direct democracy.

2011 REFERENDUM A national wide popular referendum was

held in Italy on 12th and 13th June 2011, on four questions concerning privatisation of water services (two questions), a return to the nuclear energy which had been banned by the 1987 referendum, and criminal procedure, specifically a provision exempting the Prime Minister and the Ministers from prosecution. The first aim of those campaigning for a yes vote was to ensure that the quorum (50% + 1) of the electorate was reached.

Founding Fathers Of The Constitution

Enrico De Nicola Alcide De Gasperi

Pietro Calamandrei Umberto Terracini

Giuseppe Saragat Palmiro Togliatti

Pietro Nenni Meuccio Ruini

This Is The Italian Costitution