riuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia,
Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto
Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto
Independence:
17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed)
Constitution:
1 January 1948
Legal system:
based on civil law system, with ecclesiastical law influence; appeals
treated as trials de novo; judicial review under certain conditions in
Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Anniversary of the Republic, 2 June (1946)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party (DC), Fermo Mino MARTINAZZOLI, general secretary;
Rosa Russo JERVOLINO, president; Socialist Party (PSI), Giorgio BENVENUTO,
party secretary; Social Democratic Party (PSDI), Enrico FERRI, party
secretary; Liberal Party (PLI); Democratic Party of the Left (PDS - was
Communist Party, or PCI, until January 1991), Achille OCCHETTO, secretary
general; Italian Social Movement (MSI), Gianfranco FINI, national secretary;
Republican Party (PRI), Giorgio BOGI, political secretary; Lega Nord
(Northern League), Umberto BOSSI, president; Communist Renewal (RC), Sergio
GARAVINI
Other political or pressure groups:
the Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (CGIL -
formerly Communist dominated, CISL - Christian Democratic, and UIL - Social
Democratic, Socialist, and Republican); Italian manufacturers association
(Confindustria); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura)
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum
age is 25)
Elections:
Senate:
last held 5-6 April 1992 (next to be held by April 1997); results - DC
27.3%, PDS 17.0%, PSI 13.6%, Northern Leagues 8.2%, other 33.9%; seats -
(326 total; 315 elected, 11 appointed senators-for-life) DC 107, PDS 64, PSI
49, Leagues 25, other 70

*Italy, Government

Chamber of Deputies:
last held 5-6 April 1992 (next to be held by April 1997); results - DC
29.7%, PDS 16.1%, PSI 13.6%, Northern Leagues 8.7%, RC 5.6%, MSI 5.4%, PRI
4.4%, PLI 2.8%, PSDI 2.7%, other 11%; seats - (630 total) DC 206, PDS 107,
PSI 92, Northern Leagues 55, RC 35, MSI 34, PRI 27, PLI 17, PSDI 16, other
41
Executive branch:
president, prime minister (president of the Council of Ministers)
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament (Parlamento) consists of an upper chamber or Senate of
th