Politics of Italy

Italys constitution provides that powers are vested in a parliament, democratic republic and a multi-party system. This system recognizes individual freedom and advocates liberalism in all aspects of human life. Its republican character permits popular rule within the country for a better government. Different parties serve as advisors of the Prime Minister on measures for handling issues while ruling the country and for effective administration of the political and government activities.

There are three distinct branches where government, politics and powers reside  Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. The President, often being a figurehead, heads the entire state. As the head of state, the president serves as the uniting figure of the nation and assumes the duties and responsibilities that are previously given to the King of Italy. As the head of the judicial branch, he also acts as protector of the Constitution of Italy and he can openly reject anti-constitutional laws by not signing them. The president is also the commander-in-chief of armed forces. He is elected to a renewable seven-year term by a joint session of parliament and three delegates from each of the 58 regional legislatures.

The Executive power rests with the council of ministers (cabinet) headed by the prime minister appointed by the president. As the head of the council, the prime minister advises the President of the Republic on the members of the Cabinet who will be in-charge of the various departments of the government. The council is responsible to the parliament. In effect, the prime minister runs the Italian government through the cabinet. They have the governments power to issue and confirmed decrees.
 The legislative powers are vested in a parliament consisting of 630-member chamber of deputies and a 315-member senate. Seats are also allocates to a small number of life senators who are former Presidents of the Republic. The President can appoint up to five members for their significant contribution Country in the social or scientific field. Except for a few life members of the senate, both houses are elected by universal adult suffrage for five-year terms. Starting 2005, both houses have been using a party list electoral law where a majority prize is awarded to the coalition obtaining a plurality. The Chamber should obtain the highest number of votes at the national level and Senate at regional level. The Constitution states that the two Houses possess have the same rights and powers and independent from each other.

The Parliament exercises its legislative power by enacting laws. A text should receive votes and pass both Houses independently in the same form. Each House can discuss amend and approve or reject a bill. The House can either promulgates the law or rejects it. The vote of the Parliament is required as support to the Government, which is appointed by the President of the Republic and lead by the winning coalition leader of the elections. Without the support vote by both Houses, the Government cannot officially exercise its power and the Parliament can always demand a new vote of support if any of the two Houses deem it necessary. A Government which is not backed by support vote of the Parliament must resign. This situation warrants the President of the Republic to decide whether to form a new Government or to abolish the Houses and hold new elections. In turn, the Parliament elects the President of the Republic and can vote to decide an allegation of high treason or attack to the Constitution against him.

The judicial system is based on the Roman Law with variation based on the Napoleonic Code and eventually, decrees. It is developed by combining adversarial and inquisitorial civil law systems. Generally, appeals are treated almost as fresh trials. Italy does not acknowledge the laws under the International Court of Justice. The laws the country follows are those mandated by their own Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale.

Political parties are fully functional and play a vital role in Italian politics. As soon as a citizen reaches the age of 18, he or she has the right to choose whichever of the parties her or she is willing to vote
 The politics of Italy is unique in its own right though it has some important parallelism with Austria and Spain. For instance, Austria is a constitutional federal republic in contrast to the democratic republic system of Italy. But like its counterpart in Italy, Austrian President, popularly elected for a six-year term, is the head of state and most governmental power rests with the chancellor and his cabinet. Also, the cabinet can function for as long as their policies enjoy the confidence of parliament. The chancellor, or prime minister, also heads the political party with the largest number of seats in the lower house of parliament or the National Council. Council members are elected for four-year terms. Members of the largely advisory upper house, the Federal Council, are elected by the provincial legislatures, the number from each province being appointed on the basis of population. Each of the nine provinces has a governor chosen by its unicameral legislature.

On the other hand, the politics of Spain takes the structure of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy. The Monarch is the head of state while the President of the Government is the head of the government in a multi-party system. The Monarch is also the head of the National Movement, which is the nearest thing to a political party in Spain. The govern16dgu,

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