Parliament of Italy

Parliament of Italy
Name	Parliament of the Italian Republic
Native name	Parlamento della Repubblica Italiana
Legislature	Republic of Italy
House type	Bicameral
Houses	Senate of the Republic, Chamber of Deputies
Foundation	8 May 1948
Preceded by	Constituent Assembly
Leader1 type	President of the Senate
Leader1	Ignazio La Russa
Election1	13 October 2022
Leader2 type	President of the Chamber
Leader2	Lorenzo Fontana
Election2	14 October 2022
Members	951, 400 Senators, 400 Deputies, 151 Senators for Life
House1	Senate
House2	Chamber of Deputies
Voting house1	Proportional representation (Rosatellum)
Voting house2	Proportional representation (Rosatellum)
Last election1	25 September 2022
Last election2	25 September 2022
Meeting place	Palazzo Madama, Rome (Senate), Palazzo Montecitorio, Rome (Chamber)
Website	https://www.parlamento.it/

Parliament of Italy. The Parliament of the Italian Republic is the national bicameral legislature of Italy, established by the Constitution of Italy in 1948. It consists of two houses with equal powers: the Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies, which meet separately in Rome at the Palazzo Madama and Palazzo Montecitorio, respectively. This "perfect bicameralism" requires both chambers to approve identical versions of legislation, making the Italian legislative process notably deliberate and consensus-oriented.

History

The modern Parliament traces its origins to the Statuto Albertino of 1848, which established a parliamentary monarchy in the Kingdom of Sardinia and later the Kingdom of Italy following the Risorgimento. The Fascist era under Benito Mussolini saw the effective suppression of parliamentary power, notably through the Acerbo Law and the Lateran Treaty. After World War II and the fall of the Italian Social Republic, the current republican system was born from the work of the Constituent Assembly of Italy, elected in 1946, which drafted the new constitution. Key figures like Alcide De Gasperi, Palmiro Togliatti, and Pietro Nenni shaped its parliamentary foundations, with the first legislature convening in 1948.

Composition and structure

The Parliament is composed of the 400-member Senate and the 400-member Chamber of Deputies, alongside a variable number of Senators for life, which include former Presidents and citizens appointed by the President for merit. The President of the Senate and the President of the Chamber preside over their respective houses and stand next in the line of succession to the President of Italy. Members, known as Senators and Deputies, are organized into political groups and permanent committees, such as the Constitutional Affairs Committee, which handle specialized legislative scrutiny.

Powers and functions

The Parliament holds extensive constitutional powers, including the exclusive authority to amend the Constitution of Italy, declare war, ratify international treaties like those of the European Union, and approve the state budget. It exercises political direction and control over the Government, can conduct inquiries through commissions of inquiry, and plays a crucial role in electing high state officials, including the President of Italy, members of the Constitutional Court, and the Superior Council of the Judiciary.

Legislative process

The legislative process is characterized by perfect bicameralism, where a bill, or disegno di legge, must pass an identical text in both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Legislation can be introduced by the Government, individual members, regional councils like the Regional Council of Lombardy, or through a popular initiative. Bills are typically examined by standing committees, such as the Justice Committee, which can amend them in a deliberative capacity or report them to the full chamber for debate and a vote, requiring a simple majority for ordinary laws but special majorities for constitutional amendments.

Relationship with the Government

The Government, led by the Prime Minister, must receive and maintain the confidence of both houses of Parliament. A new government presents its program to the chambers for a mandatory vote of confidence, typically following the appointment by the President of Italy. Parliament exercises oversight through mechanisms like question time, interpellations, and motions of no confidence, which can force the government's resignation, as seen during crises like the Tangentopoli scandals and the fall of the First Conte government.

Electoral system

Members of both houses are elected by universal suffrage through a system based on the Rosatellum law, a mixed proportional system with a plurality bonus. For the Chamber, 147 seats are elected in single-member districts by first-past-the-post, 245 by proportional representation in multi-member districts, and 8 by Italians living abroad. The Senate follows a similar model, with 74 majoritarian seats, 122 proportional, and 4 for overseas constituencies. The system includes a national threshold for party lists and coalitions, designed to ensure governability while representing the multiparty landscape, including parties like Brothers of Italy, the Democratic Party, and the Five Star Movement.

Category:National legislatures Category:Government of Italy Category:Bicameral legislatures