or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular
vote of which 232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by
regional proportional representation plus, in addition, there are a
small number of senators-for-life including former presidents of the
republic; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies
or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by
regional proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA
2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held
NA 2006)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - House of Liberties 177 (Forza Italia 82, National Alliance
46, CCD-CDU 29, Northern League 17, others 3), Olive Tree 128
(Democrats of the Left 62, Daisy Alliance 42, Sunflower Alliance 16,
Italian Communist Party 3, independents 5), non-affiliated with
either coalition 10, senators for life 9; Chamber of Deputies -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties
367 (Forza Italia 189, National Alliance 96, CCD-CDU 40, Northern
League 30, others 12), Olive Tree 248 (Democrats of the Left 138,
Daisy Alliance 76, Sunflower Alliance 18, Italian Communist Party 9,
independents 7), non-affiliated with either coalition 15

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale
(composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the president,
one-third elected by Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary
and administrative Supreme Courts)

Political parties and leaders: Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition
[Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats of the Left, Daisy Alliance
(including Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of
Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), Sunflower Alliance (including
Green Federation, Italian Democratic Socialists), Italian Communist
Party; Christian Democratic Center or CDC [Pier Ferdinando CASINI];
Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Rocco BUTTIGLIONE]; Communist
Renewal or RC [Fausto BERTINOTTI]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio
BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation [Grazia FRANCESCATO]; House of
Liberties (formerly Freedom Alliance, a center-right coalition)
[leader Silvio BERLUSCONI] - Forza Italian, National Alliance,
Christian Democratic Center, Christian Democratic Union, Northern
League; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO];
Italian Democratic Socialists [Enrico BOSELLI]; Italian Popular
Party [Pi