LOCAL AND REGIONAL STRUCTURES IN ITALY
Italy is a federal state composed of communes, provinces and regions.
Local level: over 8,000 communes (comuni)
Each commune is attached to a province but has direct access to its region and to the central state. Communes are called cities if the head of state grants them this title.
Local authorities
The local council (consiglio) is elected by direct universal suffrage for five years. It is the legislative and the main decision-making body. It votes the budget.
The executive committee (giunta) is the executive arm. It implements the decisions taken by the council. Its members are designated by the mayor who delegates some of his/her competences to it.
The mayor (sindaco) is elected by direct universal suffrage for five years. (S)he designates the deputies (assessori) who are the members of the executive committee. The mayor is the head of the local civil service.
Competences
. Social services
. Urban planning
. Economic development
. Public services
. Land development
. The environment
. Culture
Intermediary level: 101 provinces (provincia)
Provincial authorities
The provincial council (consiglio provinciale) is elected by direct universal suffrage for five years. It decides on the province's broad policy lines and votes the budget.
The executive committee (giunta provinciale) is designated by the president of the province. Its members cannot be members of the council. The executive committee implements the council's decisions.
The president (presidente) is elected by universal direct suffrage for five years. (S)he designates the members of the executive committee.
Competences
. The environment
. Civil protection
. Culture
. Waste collection
. Employment
. Education
Regional level: 20 regions (regione)
Five of the twenty regions have a special status (Valle d'Aosta, Trentino Alto Adige/Süd Tyrol, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Sardegna, Sicilia); and two have the status of autonomous province (Trento, Bolzano).
Regional authorities
The regional council (consiglio regionale) is the legislative body. It is composed of thirty to eighty councillors; some are elected by universal direct suffrage, others are drawn from the president's list. The council elects the president from within its ranks. It can present bills to the national parliament and can dismiss the president of the executive committee.
The executive committee (giunta) is the executive body. It is made of the president and the regional councillors. The councillors are designated by the council or the president. They have a five-year mandate. The giunta must resign if it loses the confidence of the council. The executive committee has overall administrative competences; it can propose regional bills. It prepares and implements the regional budget, and implements the council's decisions.
The president (presidente) is elected by direct universal suffrage for five years. (S)he designates and dismisses the members of the giunta. The president represents the region and directs the region's policies. The president enacts regional laws and regulations; (s)he assumes the administrative functions that the state delegates to the regions and must, in this matter, follow the government's directions.
Competences
. International relations with other regions and with the EU
. External trade
. Health
. Land development
. Transport
. Production and delivery of energy
. Urbanism
. Agriculture
