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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial
elections, where minimum age is 25)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Oscar Luigi SCALFARO (since 28 May 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the
president of the Council of Ministers) Massimo D'ALEMA (since 27
October 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
approved by the president
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a
seven-year term; election last held 25 May 1992 (next to be held NA
June 1999); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed
by parliament
election results: Oscar Luigi SCALFARO elected president; percent of
electoral college vote--NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists
of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (326 seats--315 elected by
popular vote of which 232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by
regional proportional representation, 11 are appointed
senators-for-life; 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 21 April 1996 (next to be held by NA
April 2001); Chamber of Deputies--last held 21 April 1996 (next to be
held by NA April 2001)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--Olive Tree 157, Freedom Alliance 116, Northern League 27,
Refounded Communists 10, regional lists 3, Social Movement-Tricolor
Flames 1, Panella Reformers 1; Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote
by party--NA; seats by party--Olive Tree 284, Freedom Alliance 246,
Northern League 59, Refounded Communists 35, Southern Tyrol List 3,
Autonomous List 2, other 1

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:
MARINI]

Political pressure groups and leade