Lombardy Regional Council

Lombardy Regional Council
Name	Lombardy Regional Council
Native name	Consiglio Regionale della Lombardia
Legislature	X Legislature
House type	Unicameral
Leader type	President
Leader	Attilio Fontana
Party	Lega Nord
Election	2018
Members	80
Meeting place	Palazzo Pirelli
Session room	Aula del Consiglio Regionale

Lombardy Regional Council The Lombardy Regional Council is the legislative assembly of Lombardy, established under the Italian Constitution and regional statute to enact regional legislation, approve budgets, and provide oversight of the President of Lombardy and the Regional Cabinet (Giunta regionale). It sits in Milan at Palazzo Pirelli and interacts with national institutions such as the Italian Parliament, the Council of Ministers (Italy), and the Constitutional Court of Italy. The Council's activities touch on areas coordinated with the European Union, Council of Europe, and other regions like Piedmont, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna.

History

The Council traces its origins to post-war regionalization after the Italian Republic was established and the 1948 Constitution of Italy provided for ordinary regions; concrete functions were shaped by the Statute of Lombardy and reforms such as the 1999 constitutional reform and the 2001 constitutional law that expanded regional powers. Its composition evolved through electoral laws including the Mattarella law (1993), the Tatarellum, and later the Porcellum and Rosato law, reflecting shifts seen in elections like the 2013 Lombardy regional election and the 2018 Lombardy regional election. The Council has been a venue for debates over autonomy initiatives such as the 2017 Lombardy autonomy referendum and interactions with figures like Roberto Maroni, Roberto Formigoni, Roberto Gremmo, and Gianfranco Miglio. Political controversies have involved inquiries connected to institutions including the Court of Auditors (Italy), Public Prosecutor's Office (Procura), and regional administrations across Italy.

Powers and Functions

Under the regional statute and the Italian Constitution, the Council legislates in areas of co-competence and exclusivity vis-à-vis the Italian state such as local health planning with the Azienda Sanitaria Locale, transport policy involving Aeroporti Lombardi and rail coordination with Trenord, and spatial planning related to Milan Cathedral environs and the Po Valley. It approves the regional budget and financial statements interacting with the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Italy), oversees the President of Lombardy and the Regional Cabinet (Giunta regionale), ratifies regional agreements with the European Commission and foreign regions, and can launch constitutional complaints before the Constitutional Court of Italy. The Council also appoints regional representatives to bodies such as the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces and to agencies like ARPA Lombardia.

Composition and Electoral System

The Council is composed of elected councillors under a regional electoral law linking a plurality bonus to the President-elect, influenced by Italian electoral norms such as the Tatarellum precedent and subsequent regional statutes. Members represent provincial constituencies including Milan (Metropolitan City of Milan), Brescia, Bergamo, Como, Varese, Pavia, Cremona, Mantua, and Sondrio. The electoral system mixes proportional representation with majority-assuring mechanisms similar to those used in Basilicata and Liguria, and the Council has seen representation from parties like Partito Democratico, Forza Italia, Movimento 5 Stelle, Fratelli d'Italia, Lega Nord, Italia Viva, Sinistra Italiana, and civic lists. Eligibility, term length, vacancies, and incompatibility rules reference precedents from the Italian Civil Code and regional regulations.

Political Groups and Leadership

Political groups formed within the Council mirror national and regional party structures, including parliamentary groups of Partito Democratico, Lega Nord, Forza Italia, Movimento 5 Stelle, and regional civic formations linked to figures like Giorgio Gori and Matteo Salvini. Leadership roles include the President of the Council, Vice Presidents, group leaders, committee chairs, and the Council Bureau which interfaces with bodies such as the Prefecture of Milan and the Chamber of Deputies. Prominent political actors who have led or influenced the Council include Roberto Formigoni, Roberto Maroni, Attilio Fontana, Letizia Moratti, Umberto Ambrosoli, and other regional politicians connected to national leaders like Silvio Berlusconi, Giuseppe Conte, Enrico Letta, and Matteo Renzi.

Sessions and Procedures

Plenary sessions and committee meetings take place in the Council chamber at Palazzo Pirelli and follow rules comparable to those of the Italian Senate and Chamber of Deputies, including agenda-setting, interpellations, motions of confidence, and budget approval calendars tied to national fiscal frameworks like the Documento di Economia e Finanza. Permanent committees cover areas such as health, transport, environment, and culture, interfacing with bodies such as Agenzia delle Entrate and regional agencies like ARPA Lombardia. Procedural oversight can engage the Regional Administrative Court (TAR) and the State Council (Consiglio di Stato) in cases of disputes over administrative acts.

Relationship with Regional Government

The Council provides scrutiny of the President of the Region and the Regional Cabinet, exercising votes of confidence, questioning, and investigations; it confirms appointments and can press for interregional accords with entities like the Autonomous Province of Trento or international agreements facilitated by the European Committee of the Regions. The balance between legislative control and executive autonomy reflects tensions visible in other regions such as Sicily and Campania and in dialogues with the Italian Government during negotiations on devolution and fiscal federalism involving the Ministry of the Interior (Italy) and the Ministry for Regional Affairs.

Buildings and Locations

The Council meets at Palazzo Pirelli in Milan, a 1950s skyscraper designed by Giò Ponti and a landmark alongside sites like Sforza Castle, La Scala, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Ancillary offices and archives are located in regional sites across Brescia, Bergamo, Monza, and Varese, and the Council's sessions and archives coordinate with cultural institutions such as the Pinacoteca di Brera and the Museo del Novecento. Security and public access involve coordination with the Prefecture of Milan and municipal authorities including the Municipality of Milan.

Category:Politics of Lombardy Category:Regional councils of Italy