The Italian Constitution was adopted in 1947. Of course, since then it has partially changed - in recent years, about fifteen amendments have been introduced. However, the general provisions remain the same. As for the modern Constitution, it consists of two parts and twelve basic principles.
Italian Constitution: Historical Facts
It is no secret that the country was declared a republic in the last century, but the constitutional law of Italy developed over the course of several previous centuries. It all started with the adoption of the so-called "Albertine status" in 1848 in the territory of the kingdom of Sardinia. Already in 1870, after the complete unification of all Italian lands, “Status” became the first Constitution of the country.
Of course, a constitutional monarchy still existed in the country . Nevertheless, the first Constitution of Italy introduced certain democratic directions in the development of the country. The evolution of the form of government was interrupted in 1922, when a totalitarian fascist regime was introduced on the territory of the country, and Benito Mussolini became the head of state .
Already in December 1925, a new law was adopted, which established a one-party regime in the country, and the Duce (party leader) single-handedly represented the executive branch. In 1943, Italy, which supported Japan and Germany, was defeated in World War II. This became a prerequisite for the elimination of the fascist regime.
In 1946, a referendum was held. Its results demonstrated the desire of the population to eliminate totalitarianism, so the Constituent Assembly was convened at which it was decided to proclaim the country as a republic, which happened on June 18, 1946.
The new Italian Constitution of 1947 was adopted at the Assembly by a majority vote. It entered into force four days later, on January 1, 1948, and although the Charter has undergone some changes since then, the general features have remained the same.
Italian Constitution: General Description
In fact, this political and legal document contains many rules, including social and legal foundations, legal provisions and philosophical attitudes. As mentioned earlier, the Italian Constitution consists of several parts:
- Introductory section “Basic principles”, containing 12 articles;
- the main part of the "Rights and Obligations of Citizens";
- the main part of the "Republic Device";
- transitional and final regulations.
According to this document, all power is divided into three standard branches:
- Legislative power belongs exclusively to members of Parliament, as well as to regional councils, but only within their competence;
- Judicial power belongs to the Constitutional Court and the judiciary;
- Executive power is the prerogative of the president, as well as ministers.
By the way, the Italian Constitution also describes a special attitude to the Catholic Church: do not forget that the Vatican city is located here. As early as 1929, a Concordat and Treaty (parts of the Lateran Agreements) were concluded between Italy and the Vatican: according to them, the Vatican has the right to partial sovereignty. In addition, Catholicism was designated as the traditional religion of Italy. Interestingly, along with this, the Italian Constitution separates the state from the church and complies with the principles of the equality of all faiths.