Italian Parliament

The Italian Parliament (Italian: Parlamento italiano) is the national parliament of the Italian Republic. It is the representative body of Italian citizens and is the successor to the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia (1848–1861), the Parliament of the Kingdom of Italy (1861–1943), the transitional National Council (1945–1946) and the Constituent Assembly (1946–1948). It is a bicameral legislature with 600 elected members and a small number of unelected members (senatori a vita). The Italian Parliament is composed of the Chamber of Deputies (with 400 members or deputati elected on a national basis),^[1] as well as the Senate of the Republic (with 200 members or senatori elected on a regional basis, plus a small number of senators for life or senatori a vita, either appointed by the President of the Republic or former Presidents themselves, ex officio).^[2]

For other uses, see Italian Parliament (disambiguation).

Italian Parliament

Parlamento italiano

Bicameral

Ignazio La Russa (FdI)
since 13 October 2022

Lorenzo Fontana (Lega)
since 14 October 2022

Government (116)

FdI (63)
Lega–PSd'Az (29)
FI (18)
CdI–NM–MAIE (6)^[a]

Opposition (89)

PD–IDP (37)
M5S (28)
Az–IV (11)
Aut. (6)^[b]
Mixed (7)^[d]

Government (238)

FdI (118)^[e]
Lega (66)
FI (44)^[f]
NM–MAIE (10)^[i]

Opposition (162)

PD–IDP (69)^[j]
M5S (52)
A–IV–RE (21)^[k]
AVS (11)^[l]
Mixed (9)^[p]

25 September 2022

The two Houses are independent from one another and never meet jointly except under circumstances specified by the Constitution of Italy. By the Constitution, the two houses of the Italian Parliament possess the same powers, unlike in most parliamentary systems. Perfect bicameralism has been codified in its current form since the adoption of the Albertine Statute, and resurged after the overthrow of the fascist dictatorship of the 1920s and 1930s. No distinction is made between deputies and senators, notwithstanding that a member of parliament cannot be at the same time both a senator and a deputy; regarding presidents and vice-presidents, the precedence is given to the older one.^[3]

If the bill is approved by a qualified majority of two-thirds of members in each house, it can be immediately promulgated by the President of the Republic and becomes law.

If the bill is approved by a majority of members in each house, but not enough to reach the qualified majority of two-thirds, it does not immediately become law. Instead, it must first be published in the (the official journal where all Italian laws are published). Within three months after its publication, a constitutional referendum may be requested by either 500,000 voters, five regional councils, or one-fifth of the members of a house of parliament. If no constitutional referendum has been requested after the three months have elapsed, the bill can be promulgated and becomes law. If a referendum is held, the constitutional law will be confirmed and promulgated only provided a simple majority of the "Yes"'s is achieved (no structural quorum is needed); however, should there be more "No"'s than "Yes"'s, then the law will not be confirmed, and will consequently be abolished without entering into force at all.

Official Gazette

Regulatory autonomy: the chambers regulate and approve the regulations which govern their internal affairs autonomously.

Financial autonomy: the chambers decide autonomously the amount of resources they require for carrying out their functions. The has no jurisdiction over this.^[24]

Court of Audit

Administrative autonomy: Each chamber is in charge of the organisation of its own administrative facilities and the employment of its own officials (exclusively through a national public competition).

Inviolability of the site: law enforcement officials can enter the parliament buildings only with the permission of the members of the respective chambers and they cannot be armed.

74 are directly elected in single-member districts;

126 are elected by proportional representation on a regional basis (of whom 4 are elected in overseas constituencies).

Constituent Assembly of Italy

Italian Parliament (1928–1939)

Politics of Italy

Prime Minister of Italy

Roman Senate

Gilbert, Mark (1995). The Italian Revolution: The End of Politics, Italian Style?.

Koff, Sondra; Stephen P. Koff (2000). Italy: From the First to the Second Republic.

(1995). "Die Reform eines Wahlrechtssystems: Der Fall Italien". Politische Institutionen im Wandel.

Pasquino, Gianfranco

(in Italian)

Italian Parliament