President of Italy

The President of the Italian Republic (Italian: Presidente della Repubblica) is the head of state of Italy and, as such, is intended to represent national unity and guarantee that Italian politics comply with the Constitution. The president's term of office lasts for seven years.^[1]

The current President of the Republic is Giorgio Napolitano, elected at the fourth ballot on 10 May 2006. He became the 11th President of the Italian Republic on 15 May 2006.

Qualifications for office

• Italian citizenship
• At least 50 years old
• Not barred from holding political office

Election

The President of the Republic is elected by Parliament in joint session of the Chamber and the Senate, integrated with 58 representatives appointed by the twenty Italian regions: three representatives of each region (except for the Aosta Valley, which gets only one representative) in such a way as to guarantee representation to local autonomies and minorities.

According to the Italian Constitution, the election must be held in the form of secret ballot, with the 315 Senators, the 630 Deputies and the 58 regional representatives allowed to cast their votes.

To achieve the maximum consensus for an institution intended to guarantee the upholding of the constitution, in the first three ballots a two-thirds vote is required. After that, a majority suffices.

The election is conducted by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, who has the authority to proceed to the public counting of the votes. The presidential mandate lasts seven years.

The vote is held in the Palazzo Montecitorio, home of the Chamber of Deputies, with the capacity of the building being expanded for the purpose.

The President takes office after having taken an oath before Parliament, and delivering to it a presidential address.

Presidential mandate

The President’s term lasts seven years; this prevents any president from being elected by the same Houses, which have a five-year mandate, and grants some freedom from excessive political ties to the appointing body.

In addition to the natural end, the mandate can be stopped by:

• Voluntary resignation;
• Death;
• Permanent inability, due to serious illness;
• Dismissal for crimes of high treason and attack on the Constitution.

Former Presidents of the Republic are called Presidents Emeritus of the Republic and shall be appointed Senator for life.

In the absence of the President of the Republic, including travel abroad, its functions have been performed by the President of the Senate.

Role

The Constitution of Italy lays out the duties and powers of the President of the Republic, which in detail are:

1. in relation to external representation:
   • Accrediting and receiving diplomatic functionaries;
   • Ratifying international treaties, upon authorization of Parliament (if needed according to article 80 of the Constitution);
   • Making official visits abroad, accompanied by a member of the government;
   • Declaring a state of war, deliberated by Parliament;
2. in relation to the exercise of parliamentary functions:
   • Nominating up to five senators-for-life;
   • Sending messages to the Chambers, calling them to extraordinary session and dissolving them;
   • Calling elections and fixing the date for the first meeting of the new Chambers;
3. in relation to legislative functions:
   • Authorizing the presentation in Parliament of proposed decrees on the part of the government;
   • Promulgating the laws approved in Parliament;
   • Remanding to the Chambers, with an explanation, and asking for reconsideration (only once for each bill);
4. in relation to popular sovereignty:
   • Calling referenda;
5. in relation to the executive function and of political guideline;
   • Naming the Prime Minister of Italy after elections, and on proposal of the latter, the ministers;
   • Accepting the oath of the government, and its eventual resignation;
   • Emanating laws by decree proposed by the government alone; without transposition in ordinary law by the Parliament, they remain valid only for 60 days;
   • Naming certain high state functionaries;
   • Presiding over the Consiglio Supremo di Difesa ("Supreme Defense Council"), and commanding the armed forces;
   • Decreeing the dissolution of regional councils and the removals of presidents of regions;
6. in relation to the exercise of jurisdiction:
   • Presiding over the Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura ("Superior Judicial Council");
   • Naming one third of the Constitutional Court;
   • Granting pardons and commutations.

The Constitution provides that every presidential act must be countersigned by a Minister or the President of the Council, as most of its acts are only formal, and political responsibility is upon the government. Pardons and commutations have been recognised as autonomous powers of the President, not subject to countersignature.

Residence

The President resides in Rome at the Quirinal Palace, and also has at his disposal the presidential holdings of Castelporziano, near Rome, and Villa Rosebery, in Naples.

See also

• List of Presidents of the Italian Republic
• Italian presidential election, 2006

References

External links

• Official site (in Italian)