President of Italy

President of the Italian Republic
Standard of the President
Incumbent Giorgio Napolitano since 15 May 2006
Residence	Quirinal Palace
Term length	Seven years
Inaugural holder	Enrico De Nicola
Formation	1 January 1948
Website	www.quirinale.it

Italy

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Italy

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The President of the Italian Republic (Italian: Presidente della Repubblica Italiana) is the head of state of Italy and, in that role, represents national unity and guarantees that Italian politics comply with the Constitution. The president's term of office lasts for seven years.^[1] The current, 11th President of the Republic is Giorgio Napolitano, who was elected on the fourth round of legislative balloting, on 10 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 a joint session of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. In addition, the 20 regions of Italy appoint 58 representatives as special electors. Three representatives come from each region, save for the Aosta Valley, which appoints one, so as to guarantee representation for all localities 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 all voting. A two-thirds vote is required to elect on any of the first three rounds of balloting; after that, a majority suffices. The election is presided over by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, who calls for the public counting of the votes. The vote is held in the Palazzo Montecitorio, home of the Chamber of Deputies, which is expanded and re-configured for the event.

The President assumes office after having taken an oath before Parliament and delivering 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.

The President's term may end by:

• Voluntary resignation;
• Death;
• Permanent disability, due to serious illness;
• Dismissal, as for crimes of high treason or an attack on the Constitution.

Former Presidents of the Republic are called Presidents Emeritus of the Republic and are 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, to include:

1. In foreign affairs:
   • Accrediting and receiving diplomatic functionaries;
   • Ratifying international treaties, upon authorization of Parliament (if required according to Article 80 of the Constitution);
   • Making official visits abroad, accompanied by a member of the government; and
   • Declaring a state of war, as decided by Parliament.
2. In parliamentary affairs:
   • Nominating up to five senators-for-life;
   • Calling the Chambers of Parliament into extraordinary session and dissolving them; and
   • Calling elections and fixing the date for the first meeting of the new Chambers.
3. In legislative matters:
   • Authorizing the presentation of proposed governmental decrees to Parliament;
   • Promulgating the laws approved in Parliament; and
   • Remanding to the Chambers (with an explanation) and asking for reconsideration of a bill (permitted once per bill);
4. Appertaining to popular sovereignty:
   • Calling referenda.
5. In executive matters and as to official protocol:
   • Naming the Prime Minister of Italy after elections, and appointing Cabinet ministers on the advice of the PM;
   • Accepting the oath of the government;
   • Receiving the resignation of a government;
   • Promulgating laws by decree, which are proposed by the government alone. These measures, unless acted on by Parliament, expire after 60 days;
   • Naming certain high state functionaries;
   • Presiding over the Consiglio Supremo di Difesa (Supreme Defense Council), and commanding the armed forces; and
   • Decreeing the dissolution of regional councils and the removals of presidents of regions.
6. In judicial matters:
   • Presiding over the Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura (Superior Judicial Council);
   • Naming one-third of the Constitutional Court; and
   • Granting pardons and commutations.

The Constitution provides that nearly all presidential acts must be countersigned by a member of the government (either the Prime Minister or an individual minister), as most presidential acts are only formal, and real political responsibility is upon the government. However, pardons and commutations have been recognised as autonomous powers of the President, and are 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 Italy
• Italian presidential election, 2006

References

External links

• Official site (in Italian)

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