President of Italy: the real extent of the powers of Italian leaders. Italy King of Italy 5th century

Until 1861, there was no single state in Italy. Only on March 17, 1861, the formation of an independent Kingdom of Italy with its capital in Turin was proclaimed by the Parliament of Sardinia. This state arose as a result of the national liberation movement (Risorgimento) of the Italian people against foreign domination for the unification of all of Italy. The Savoy dynasty, which ruled in Sardinia, turned out to be the ruling dynasty of Italy. King Victor Emmanuel II became the head of the kingdom. The same grandiose monument in honor of which stands on Piazza Venezia. Part of the territory still remained under the rule of Austria, and the power of the pope remained in Rome. After the liquidation of the Papal States in 1870, the capital was moved to Rome. The Kingdom of Italy became the first state after the collapse of the Roman Empire to control the entire Apennine Peninsula. Since then, the kings of Italy have been Victor Emmanuel II (1861-1878), Umberto I (1878-1900), Victor Emmanuel III (1900-1946), Umberto II (May-June 1946).

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the third king, Victor Emmanuel III, ruled in Italy. He was outwardly a rather reserved person and a cautious politician. Received a good education, knew very well English language, played the piano well, was fond of numismatics. His collection of coins was one of the richest in the world and, according to some sources, still supports the well-being of the House of Savoy. On May 9, 1946, he abdicated in favor of his son, Umberto II, the May King, as the Italians called him, who ruled for only a month. Victor Emmanuel III died a year later in Egypt, where he moved with his family after his abdication.
After the end of World War II, a referendum in 1946 abolished the monarchy in Italy. Italy moved from a monarchy to a republican system. Two years later, a law was introduced into the country's constitution prohibiting the last king of Italy, Umberto II, and all his male descendants from being in Italy. In the future, the king and his wife did not make any attempts to return to their homeland. The family of the rejected monarch lived mainly in Switzerland. Meeting in Europe with other monarchs, they always diligently avoided any talk about Italy. Umberto II died in 1983 in Geneva. Her Royal Majesty Maria José, wife of the King, lived into the 21st century and died in 2002. The funeral procession was attended by the monarchs of Belgium, Spain, Greece. But from the Italian side, the former queen was seen off only by the Italian ambassador to France. And only after the death of his parents, Victor Emmanuel, Prince of Savoy, the son and heir of Umberto II, permanently living in Geneva, turned to the Italian government with a request to forgive him the sins of his parents and allow him to stay in Italy. But no one was going to change the law. Then Victor-Emmanuel appealed to the European Parliament, and a resolution condemning the expulsion of citizens from the country was put to a vote. The first attempt at rehabilitation failed, with 256 votes against, 173 in favour.
This decision provoked a strong reaction from human rights activists, public figures and lawyers. After all, according to the laws of the European Union, all its inhabitants can move freely around Europe. And in November 2002, after 50 years of exile, the royal offspring received permission to return. In March 2003, Victor-Emmanuel, his wife Maria Doria and their son Emmanuel Filiberto arrived in Italy. The Italians greeted them with delight, throwing flowers at the car in which they were traveling.

1. The Savoy family in the Vatican.

2. At a reception with the President of Italy.

3. The second pretender to the throne is the younger brother of Victor Emmanuel - Prince of Savoy Amadeo di Aosta, who was born in 1943 in Florence. He returned in 2003 to Italy and currently resides in Tuscany and Sicily. It is his Italian monarchists who consider him a worthy contender for the throne. In their opinion, Victor Emanuel, permanently residing in Switzerland, is too far from the interests of Italy. These two siblings have been in a state of constant feuding since childhood. There is even a scandalous episode in the history of their relationship - they fought at a dinner party with the Spanish king Juan Carlos. The reception in honor of the newlyweds - Crown Prince Filipe and Princess Leticia of Asturias - was attended by 50 representatives of the most aristocratic families in Europe. Other guests included Prince Victor Emmanuel of Savoy with his wife Maria Doria, son Emmanuel Filiberto and sister-in-law Clotilde Curo, and Prince Amadeo di Aosta of Savoy with his wife Silvia and son Aimone Amadeo. As they moved from the dining room to the living room, a fight ensued between the brothers. Victor Emmanuel did not like some of the familiarity of his brother, who patted him on the shoulder, and he hit him twice in the face. The wife of Victor Emmanuel, Princess Maria Doria, tried to smooth the situation, asking for forgiveness from his wife di Aosta Silvia. After such an ugly scene, King Juan Carlos of Spain promised never to invite the brothers again. Pictured is Amadeo di Aosta.

In the life of Victor Emmanuel there was another shameful episode for which he served time in prison, though only 23 days. In 1970, while vacationing in Corsica, for some unknown reason, he shot a German tourist and wounded him in the leg. The unfortunate German died five months later from blood poisoning as a result of the wound.

4. The children of the crown princes lead a fairly modest life. The only exception is the grandson of the former king of Italy, Prince Emmanuel Filiberto of Savoy. Young Emmanuel attracted the attention of the Italian and French press, changing girlfriends and working as a DJ. He became one of the most prominent characters in the gossip column. In the photo, Emmanuel Filiberto at a social event.

5. Emmanuel Filiberto with the national flag.

6. Returning to Italy, he married French actress Clotilde Kuro. The ceremony was attended only by Emmanuel's friend Prince Albert of Monaco as a witness. Clotilde was six months pregnant at the time, and Valentino sewed her dress for the occasion. Persons of royal blood and the di Aosta family were not present at the ceremony. The invited members of the Italian government also ignored the ceremony.

7. The wedding took place in the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. in which in 1896 the marriage of the King of Italy Victor Emmanuel III and Elena of Montenegro took place.

In preparing the post, information and photos from the magazine were used Monarch No. 1, January-February 2006, from Wikipedia and other materials.

This week the capital of Italy . She met with President Giorgio Napolitano (Giorgio napolitano) and with whom she exchanged very original gifts. As it turned out, the Queen of Great Britain is very popular in Italy, many even argue that the country lacks monarchs. Why Italians have such an opinion can be easily explained not only by the current situation in the country, but also by historical events. We have prepared for you the most Interesting Facts about the royal power that once ruled the territory of Italy.

1. The Italian royal family, the Savoy dynasty (Casa Savoia), is one of the oldest ruling families in history. She had particular influence in Italy until the people of the country voted to abolish the monarchy at the end of the Second World War, after it was found that the royal family supported the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini (Benito Mussolini). As soon as the whole truth came out, the representatives of the Savoy dynasty were deported to Switzerland and only in 2002 their offspring were able to return to Italy.

2. Umberto II, also known as the May King, held the throne of Italy for much less time than he might have expected. A month after he took his father's place, the people of the country voted to abolish the monarchy. After Umberto lived in exile in Portugal for 37 years, while his wife and other relatives were exiled to Switzerland.

3. A letter from Benito Mussolini's son, Romano Mussolini, published in Italian newspapers in 2011, indicates that the dictator had a romantic relationship with Italy's last queen, Maria Jose Savoy.

4. Kings and queens appeared on the territory of Italy long before its unification. So, for example, once Normans ruled Sicily - aristocrats from northern France, and in particular Duke William, who later took the throne of the King of England and was named William the Conqueror. Despite the fact that thousands of miles separated them from their homeland, the Norman knights were able to conquer not only Sicily, but also a large part of southern Italy. Roger II (Ruggero II di Sicilia ) , founder and king of the Sicilian kingdom, was the leader of the crusaders.

5. Due to some inaccuracies in the historical annals, the Kingdom of Naples (regno di Napoli), which spread out in southern Italy in the 12th-19th centuries, was known as Sicilian. And therefore, when Sicily in 1816 united with the Kingdom of Naples into a single state, it received the name "Kingdom of the Two Sicilies". However, already in 1861, after the unification of Italy, this name disappeared from the map.

6. Representatives of the blue blood of Italy have repeatedly found themselves at the center of scandals. So, in April 1655, the Duke of Savoy Emmanuel II (Emanuele Filiberto II di Savoia) ordered the start of a brutal massacre of the Piedmontese Waldensians, followers of the heretical movement. In 1898, during a riot in Milan aimed at lowering food prices, the royal authorities ordered cannons to be fired at unarmed protesters, among whom were women and children.

7. The descendants of the royal family of Italy got into many troubles and scandals. Prince Victor Emmanuel of Savoy (Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia), son of King Umberto II and potential heir to the throne, was arrested in 2006 on charges of bribery. In 1989, he was sentenced to imprisonment for the murder of a 19-year-old German during a yacht trip, but was acquitted in November 1991.

In 2003, Victor Emmanuel claimed that the anti-Jewish laws passed by Mussolini and signed by the King of Italy were not, in fact, "as terrible" as many people think.

In 2004, the crown prince punched his cousin Amedeo in the face during a royal wedding in Spain.

8. In 2010, the son of the restless Victor Emmanuel, Emanuele Filiberto, announced that he was dating British model Kate Moss. “She is a beautiful woman, very charming and absolutely easy to communicate,” said the son of the prince.

9. The residence of the royal Savoy dynasty in Turin, as well as the territories adjacent to it, are under protection as a monument of world cultural heritage.

10. Despite the fact that the titles and other privileges of the Italian royal family are not recognized in Italy, the descendants of Savoy still bear titles, for example, Duke of Savoy, Prince of Naples and Piedmont.

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Kings of Italy is a title worn by the rulers of the kingdoms located on the territory of the modern state. After the collapse of the Roman Empire in northern Italy, the Italian (Lombard) kingdom was formed. For almost 800 years, it was part of the Holy Roman Empire, when the title of the Italian king was carried by its emperors.

In 1804 it was created by the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The last king of Italy, Umberto II, ruled from 05/09/1946 to 06/12/1946.

First Roman king

The title of king appears in the early Middle Ages. They were called the rulers of a number of historical kingdoms that arose in 395 after the collapse of the Roman Empire into two parts: Western and Eastern, known as Byzantium, which lasted another thousand years. Western was attacked by barbarians. The leader of one of these peoples, Odoacer, deposed the last Roman emperor in 476 and was proclaimed the first king of Italy.

Zeno made him his viceroy. The entire structure of the Roman Empire was preserved. Odoacer became a Roman patrician. But the power under the control of Byzantium did not suit him, and he supported the commander Ill, who staged a rebellion against Zeno. The latter turned for help to Theodoric, the leader of the Ostrogoths. His army, having crossed the Alps in 489, captured Italy. Theodoric becomes its king.

Duchy of Friuli - state of the Lombards

In 534, Byzantium declared war on the Ostrogoths, after 18 years their state ceased to exist, Italy became part of it. After 34 years, the Lombards invaded the Apennine Peninsula. They captured the interior of Italy, forming the state of the Lombards - the Duchy of Friul. It is from this time that the name of the northern region of Italy - Lombardy - comes from. The Byzantines from the territory of the former Western Roman Empire had coastal lands.

Incorporation into Francia

The actual rulers of the Italian lands under the rule of Byzantium were the popes, who feared the strengthening of the Lombards and the capture of Rome. The only ones who could resist these warlike long-bearded Germans were the Franks. The founder of the ruling dynasty of the Carolingian Franks, Pepin the Short, who was crowned by Pope Stephen III and became King of Italy, helped win back the Italian possessions of Byzantium for the papal throne. The Duchy of Rome, Umbria, the Exarchate of Ravenna, Pentapolis became the foundation of the Papal States.

The capture by the Langobars of part of the papal territories in 772 forced the king of the Franks, Charlemagne, to enter into war with them. In 774 the state of the Langobars ceased to exist. Charlemagne declared himself king of Italy, or rather its northern part. After 5 years, Pope Adrian I officially crowned him.

In 840, the lands of the Franks were seized by unrest, as a result of which Frankia was divided into several states. Italy became part of the Middle Kingdom, whose king was Lothair I. The Franks did not pay much attention to Italy, considering it an insignificant outskirts. The country was governed in the same way as under the Lombars. The control center was in the city of Pavia, which was considered its capital.

Incorporation of northern Italy into the Holy Roman Empire

Gradually, Italy, which did not have much importance among the Franks, unofficially broke up into several feudal states, the control of which was in the hands of the local elite. In 952, the Italian king Berengar II fell into the hands of the German emperor Otto I. An attempt to free himself from subjugation to the Germans led to the fact that in 961 the emperor Otto at the head of the army took Pavia, deposed King Berengar and was crowned with the "Iron Crown of the Longobars." Northern Italy became part of the Holy Roman Empire for many years.

Southern Italy

In the south of Italy, events developed in a different way. Local princes often recruited the Normans. As a result of his marriage in 1030 to the sister of the ruler of Naples, Sergius IV, the Norman Rainulf received as a gift the county of Aversa, in which the first Norman state was formed. The Normans, gradually subjugating the territory of the South of Italy, ousting the Arabs, the Byzantines, created a single state. Their power was blessed by the pope.

By the beginning of the 15th century, the entire territory of Italy was divided into five large states, playing significant role(two republics - Florentine and Byzantine, the Duchy of Milan, the Papal State, the Kingdom of Naples), as well as five independent dwarf states: Genoa, Mantua, Lucca, Siena and Ferrara. Since the end of the 15th century, the so-called Italian wars took place in Italy, as a result of which some cities and provinces were under the rule of the French, Spaniards, and Germans.

Unification of Italy, creation of a kingdom

After the proclamation of Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor of France in 1804, he becomes king of all possessions in Italy and is even crowned with the iron crown of the Langobarres. The papacy is deprived of secular power. Three states were formed on the territory of Italy: the North-West was part of France, in the north-east and the Kingdom of Naples.

The struggle for the unification of Italy continued, but only in 1861 did the all-Italian parliament, which met in Turin, publish a document on the creation of the kingdom. It was headed by Victor Emmanuel, the king of Italy, previously the former king of Turin. As a result of the unification of Italy, Lazio and Venice were annexed. The formation of the Italian state continued.

But the days of monarchies are over. Revolutionary trends also touched Italy. The First World War and the crisis of the 1930s led to the rule of the Nationalists under the leadership of Mussolini. King Victor Emmanuel III stained himself with shameful non-interference in the internal affairs of the country, which led to the creation of a fascist regime. This completely turned the people away from royal rule. His son Umberto II ruled the country for 1 month and 3 days. In 1946, a republican system was established by popular vote in the country.

In this article we will tell you about the history of Italy. In the 1st millennium BC, the Italic tribes occupied the entire Apennine peninsula and the Latins occupied the most active position among them. It is believed that it was they who founded Rome in 753 BC. and hence they began to be called Romans. By the 2nd century AD the conquered peoples already spoke the so-called Latin, and the name "Italy" spread to the foot of the Alps. Rome became the strongest power and conquered the lands of Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor. It should be noted that the development of the power of this Empire was largely due to slavery.

The captured peoples labored building new amphitheaters, aqueducts, and numerous other structures. The Romans founded many settlements, the most famous being Milan, Pavia, Ravenna, Cologne and Vienna. The heritage created by the Romans played a big role in the political and spiritual life of Europe. However, in 476, the Roman Empire fell under the onslaught of enemies. In the 5th century, the Vandals and Visigoths penetrated here, in 488 the Ostrogoths, then the Byzantines, later the Franks came here and it was they who handed over to Pope Stephen II some territory on which the Papal States arose.

If we recall the history of Italy in the 9th century, then the Hungarians began to invade the country, and the Arabs occupied Sicily. A century later, the German feudal lords also wanted to grab a tidbit of this land for themselves. For many years, the local population mixed with the conquerors, but having a more advanced civilization, they managed to adapt the foreigners. And in this process, the Italian nationality began its birth. The cities of the central and northern parts played an important role in the formation of the Italian people. Many of them began to trade with overseas countries, which led to economic growth. In the XI century, the townspeople began to form communes and people freed themselves from the power of feudal lords and bishops.

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The population of cities grew and against this background there was a rise in agriculture. But the Papal States and the South of Italy did not develop as rapidly as many would like, and Arabs and Normans still ruled here. Then there was an economic difference between the northern and southern lands. For the first time, the desire for unification among the Italian peoples arises when the troops of Frederick I begin to threaten them. Then Cremona, Milan, Venice, Brescia and Bergamo, forgetting about their contradictions, unite in the union of the Lombard League.

On the south side, a large territory was occupied by the Kingdom of Naples. A peculiar feature of medieval Italy is the city-states, and it must be said that their significance was then very great. Venice occupied an advantageous position on the Mediterranean Sea, eventually becoming an intermediary between the West and the East in trade. As the history of Italy says, this Republic possessed a strong fleet and expanded its possessions, organizing colonies throughout the Mediterranean. Due to political fragmentation, for a long time different regions had their own linguistic features, which prevented the creation of a single Italian people.

In order for ethnic groups to become aware of themselves as a single nation, they needed a common language, and Tuscany played a big role in this. Since it was located at the crossroads of trade routes, it played an important role in trade. Therefore, it was in Florence, which grew rich in trade, that the first banks appeared and for the first time in the history of Italy this city became a leading center. Here a strong need for a single language, both written and spoken, begins to be felt. As a result, the Tuscan dialect becomes the language of business speech, which supplanted Latin. In the second half of the 13th century, lyricism arose in Florence.

It was in the Tuscan dialect that the writer Alighieri Dante wrote The Divine Comedy. He also advocated that the dialect develop into a common literary language for all, but this process was rather slow. In the 14th-15th centuries, Italy remained quite heterogeneous economically and socially. In the north and in the center, the city-states were still the priority. But now in the history of Italy, communes have been replaced by tyrannies or signories - places where power was in the hands of one ruler. In other areas, for example, in Florence and Bologna, capitalist relations were a priority. The south was rather weak, so feudalism still flourished here.

In the meantime, capitalism was gaining its place in life and contributed to vigorous economic growth and cultural progress. Art flourished in the history of Italy. The Renaissance began and the idea of ​​a person then assumed that he had to be active, free, learn and conquer nature, and also rely on common sense. This new understanding of his role in the world was called "humanism" and contributed to the strong development of art, literature, philology, as well as philosophy.

Since the end of the 15th century, new geographical discoveries have been made and trade routes have shifted to the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, the Papal States turned one state against another in order to subjugate them to its influence, and these actions contributed to the economic decline. The troops of France and Spain invaded the Apennine Peninsula, starting a struggle for power in the region. By the end of these wars, the map of Italy was greatly changed and throughout the 17th century the economy was in a state of regression. At the end of the 18th century, part of the state fell into the hands of Napoleon. But as a result of the campaign A.V. Suvorov, the French forces were expelled, but they were replaced by Austrian troops.

From 1796 to 1814 the country was shaken by constant wars, coups and seizures, which influenced the growth of the national consciousness of people. The main tasks for them were liberation from foreigners and unification. The rise of the national liberation movement begins and the result was the liberation of the Lombardo-Venetian region from the Austrian invaders. Then, on the site of the Papal States, the Roman Republic was proclaimed, and yet the bourgeois revolution failed. In March 1861, the unification takes place under the leadership of the King of Sardinia, Victor Emmanuel II.

Now the country is officially called the Kingdom of Italy, and Turin becomes the capital. In 1870 the capital was transferred to Rome. In 1921, under the leadership of Benito Mussolini, the National Fascist Party was created and a totalitarian regime was established. Then all the other parties were dissolved and many who disagreed were sent into exile. During World War I, the state took the side of Germany. But in 1944, a government coalition of anti-fascist parties was formed.

In April 1945, Italy was liberated from the invaders and a few months later the Republic was proclaimed here, and a couple of years later the republican constitution comes into effect. In the post-war period, NATO joins and an agreement on mutual assistance is concluded with the United States. In the late 1950s, the signing of the Treaty of Rome establishing the European Economic Community took place. Then it included only 6 states, and so the first step was taken towards the creation of the European Union. In our next article, we will tell you. You will learn about some historical moments, about wars, as well as about the living conditions of people.

Modern Italy is an example of a democratic state in which there is a clear division of functions and powers of all branches of government. It is today in the Italian Republic that the head of state is the President of Italy, the Cabinet of Ministers works and the bicameral parliament sits. Each state authority is engaged in its own business within the framework of the powers assigned by the Constitution of the country, and even 74 years ago, such a democratization of the system of state power in a country where for many years there was an imperious tandem of the monarch and the prime minister was out of the question. The Italian state had to go a long and painful way before it was possible to achieve such a balance of state and power powers in the highest echelons of power.

Italy on the way from monarchy to the Italian Republic

After the end of World War II, Italy found itself in the position of the losing side. Economic and political chaos reigned in the country, which became the scene of fierce battles between the allied forces and the German army. The country's economy was brought by the fascist regime to a disaster. IN political life In Italy, there was a fierce struggle between liberal-minded forces and the conservatives, with the socialists and with the communists. The power of the king of Italy was significantly weakened by the previous ruling regime of Benito Mussolini, and the new transitional government of Badoglio did not have serious political weight.

All interested political players were looking for ways to overcome the acute political crisis. The attempt of the current monarch, Victor Emmanuel III, to preserve the monarchy in the country with his resignation was not successful. After the resignation of the king, his son Umberto took his place, becoming head of state for a month and a half. The end of royal power in Italy was marked by a nationwide referendum held in Italy on June 2, 1946. According to the results of the vote, Italy became a parliamentary republic, the monarchy was abolished as an institution of state power.

All power in the country passed into the hands of Prime Minister De Gaspero, who headed the transitional government, and Enrico de Nicola, who became the interim head of state. The former continued to exercise the powers of prime minister given to him by the coalition of anti-fascist forces back in December 1945. With regard to the post of head of state, Enrico de Nicola was elected to this position by the Constitutional Assembly. More than 80% of deputies voted for him.

In the new history of Italy, Enrico de Nicola is listed as the interim head of state, who held his post from June 28, 1946 to December 31, 1947.

The post of provisional head of state remained as such until November 1947, when Italy received a new constitution. In accordance with it, parliamentary government was established in the country, and the position of interim head of state occupied by Eniriko de Nicola received official status - the post of president of the Italian Republic.

The first President of the country, Enrico de Nicola, continued to hold office until the next presidential election, which was scheduled for May 1948. The refusal of the incumbent head of state to run for president in the next election is due to the deterioration of his health.

Head of state status under the provisions of the Italian Constitution

The Italian Basic Law of 1948 established clear boundaries for the powers of all state bodies of the Republic. The President of the Republic played a rather interesting role in this ensemble. As head of state, he was the guarantor of the Constitution of the Italian Republic, ensured the unity of the Italian nation and the sovereignty of the state. Every citizen of Italy, at least 50 years of age, whose reputation was in no way connected with the fascist regime, could run for the presidency of the country.

The election of the head of state is carried out by an electoral college consisting of deputies and senators from both houses of the Italian Parliament. Representatives of all provinces are required to attend the meeting of the collegium, who are given the right to give advice to their electors. Each of the provinces sends three representatives to the elections. Only one small area of ​​Valle d'Aosta is represented in the college by one delegate.

Voting takes place in several rounds. To elect a candidate for a position, it is enough to receive 2/3 of the votes, otherwise, an absolute majority of votes will be required to make a final decision. Elections are appointed by the chairman of the parliament a month before the end of the powers of the incumbent president, about which the delegates from the regions are informed.

In the absence of a parliament or less than three months before the expiration of the powers of deputies, the powers of the incumbent head of state are automatically extended until a new parliament is elected.

In situations where the incumbent president is unable to fulfill his functions and duties, the powers of the head of state are transferred to the chairman of the Senate - the upper house of the Italian parliament. The inauguration of the new President of the Italian Republic and the assumption of office take place within the walls of Parliament, after taking the oath. The term of office of the newly elected head of state is 7 years.

The political background of the presidency

It should be noted that the new Italian constitution does not allow combining the post of President of Italy with any other position. As for political preferences, a member of a political party that enjoys the confidence of deputies and delegates of the electoral college can become the head of state. Of all the twelve Presidents of the Italian Republic who held the highest public office between 1946 and 2020, only one was an independent candidate. All the rest represented the ruling political forces at that time. The presidents of Italy were representatives of Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, Socialists and Left Democrats. The Christian Democrats have the largest representation in the highest echelon of power in Italy.

After the end of the presidential term, presidents automatically receive the title of Honorary President of the Italian Republic and the status of a senator for life. The official residence of all the presidents of Italy is the Quirinal Palace. The rear complex was built in 1573 and was used until the 20th century as a papal summer residence. In the first half of the 20th century, the palace of receptions of King Victor Emmanuel III was located here.

Powers of the President of the Italian Republic

The parliamentary form of government that was established in Italy after 1946 is characterized by a clear division of powers. All executive power in the country is at the mercy of the Cabinet of Ministers, which is headed by the Prime Minister. As for representative functions, here the prerogative is the right of the president of the country. According to the Constitution of the Italian Republic, the head of state has the following powers:

• call regular and extraordinary parliamentary elections;
• submit government bills for discussion to both houses of parliament;
• the right to sign on adopted laws, own participation in legislative activities;
• Decrees, acts and decrees of the President, sanctioned by prime ministers and relevant ministers, have legal force throughout the country;
• announce a nationwide referendum in the cases provided for by the Basic Law;
• to appoint to public positions within their competence;
• receive foreign ambassadors and representatives;
• represent the country in the international arena with the right to conclude treaties and agreements that do not contradict the interests of the state;
• decide on the start of mobilization and declare a state of war;
• to award honorary titles and state awards;
• grant pardons and grant amnesty.

The President of Italy, due to the incapacity of the country's legislative body to perform its functions, has the right to dissolve one or both houses of parliament at once. The head of state is given the right to appoint a third of the judges of the Italian Constitutional Court. The President of the Italian Republic is the Supreme Commander and Chairman of the Supreme Defense Council of the country.

The Basic Law specifies a clear framework for the responsibility of the head of state. In cases where the fact of high treason or encroachment on the constitutional order is established, only the parliament of the Republic can judge the incumbent president.

What presidents has Italy lived and lives with?

Since 1946, when the country was headed by Enrico de Nicola, Italy has known twelve presidents. Almost all the heads of state, except for one Antonio Segni, were in office for the seven-year term allotted by law. During this period there were no political conspiracies, no acts of political terror. The presidential vertical of power in Italy remained outside the fierce struggle, which was mainly unfolding between political forces and movements. The main object of political pressure were the prime ministers of Italy, while the presidents of the country were considered the nominal head of state.

The list of heads of state looks like this:

• Enrico de Nicola served as President of Italy from July 1, 1946 to May 12, 1948;
• Luigi Einaudi, reigned 1948-1955;
• Giovanni Gronchi became president of the country in May 1955 and remained in office until October 1962;
• Antonio Segni was head of state for only 31 months from May 1962 to December 6, 1964;
• Giuseppe Saragat served as head of state from 1964-71;
• Giovanni Leone, reigned 1971-78;
• Alessandro Pertini took office in July 1978 and remained in office until June 29, 1985;
• Francesco Cossiga was President of Italy 1985-92;
• Oscar Luigi Scalfaro became president of the country in May 1992 and remained in that post until May 1992;
• Carlo Azeglio Ciampi took office as President of the country in May 1999. Served as President of Italy until May 2006;
• Giorgio Napolitano was elected in 2006 and remained in office until 14 January 2020;
• Sergio Mattarella is the current President of the Italian Republic, elected to this post in January 2020. He took office on February 3 of the same year.

Of all these heads of state in the modern history of Italy, Francesco Cossiga had the most weight. He had to once again smooth out the sharp corners that arose in the domestic political arena. Under him, Italy finally entrenched itself in the big seven, becoming on a par with the leading world powers.

The current president of Italy is a representative of the Democratic Party, which, together with the left-wing democrats, managed to push the Christian Democrats from the political Olympus in the new millennium.

The available information on the financial costs incurred by the Italian government for the maintenance of the country's presidential apparatus looks curious. Since 2001, the size of appropriations for the maintenance of the head of state has grown by one third and currently stands at 217 million euros per year. This amount includes not only the salary of the current head of state, but also the lifetime pensions of ex-presidents. Most of the expenses are related to the maintenance of the residences of the head of state and hospitality expenses.

For comparison, the cost of maintaining the office of the President of France is 500 million euros annually. As for the expense item of the US Treasury for the maintenance of the State Department and the President, this amount is much larger - about 900 million dollars.

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