Italy Government - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Official name: Italian Republic

Type: republic

Capital: Rome

Political subdivisions: constitution provides for establishment of 20 regions; five with special statutes (Sicilia, Sardegna, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Valle d’Aosta) have been functioning for some time, and the remaining 15 regions with regular statutes were instituted on I \pril 1972; 95 provinces, 8,081 communes

Legal system: based on civil law system, with ecclesiastical law influence; constitution came into effect I January 1948; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Anniversary of the Republic, 2 June ’

Branches: executive—President empowered to dissolve Parliament and call national election; he is also Commander of the Armed Forces and presides over the Supreme Defense Council; otherwise, authority to govern invested in Council of Ministers; bicameral legislature—popularly elected Parliament (315-member Senate, 630-member Chamber of Deputies); independent judicial establishment

Government leaders: Francesco COSSIGA, President (since July 1985); Bettino CR AXI, Premier (since August 1983)

Suffrage: universal over age 18 (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)

Elections: national election for Parliament held every five years (most recent, June 1983); provincial and municipal elections held every five years with some out of phase, regional elections every five years (held June 1980)

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party (DC), Ciriaco DeMita (political secretary ); Communist Party (PCI), Alessandro Natta (secretary general); Socialist Party (PSI), Bettino Craxi (party secretary); Social Democratic Party (PSDI), Franco Nicolazzi (party secretary); Liberal Party (PLI), Alf redo Biondi (secretary general); Italian Social Movement (MSI), Giorgio Almirante (national secretary); Republican Party (PRI), Giovanni Spadolini (political secretary)

Voting strength: (1983 election) 32.5% DC, 30.5% PCI, 11.3% PSI, 6.6% MSI, 5.2% PRI, 4.0% PSDI, 3.0% PLI

Communists: 1,673,751 members (1983)

Other political or pressure groups: the Vatican; three major trade union confederations (CGIL—Communist dominated, CISL— Christian Democratic, and UIL—Social Democratic, Socialist, and Republican); Italian manufacturers association (Confindus-tria); organized farm groups

Member of: ADB, ASSIMER, CCC, Council of Europe, DAC, EC, ECOW AS, EIB, ELDO, EMS, ESRO, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB— Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IEA, IFC, IHO, ILO, International Lead and Zinc Study Group, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IPU, IRC, ITC, ITU, NATO, OAS (observer), OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

NOTE: The information regarding Italy on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Italy 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Italy 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.