State in Italy

Italy is a democratic republic whose basic rules are set by the Constitution. The State, called Stato, is not only the Government of the day but the lasting system of institutions, laws, territory, public powers, and duties. The Constitution protects fundamental rights and establishes the main institutions. It also limits public authority, divides responsibilities, and provides ways to review whether state action follows higher rules. Parliament makes national laws, while the Government directs national policy and administration. The President of the Republic serves as head of state, and the judiciary applies the law independently in individual cases. The Constitutional Court, called Corte costituzionale, examines important constitutional questions. Among its central roles is deciding whether laws are compatible with the Constitution. Italy is divided into regions, or regioni, which have political institutions and powers in fields assigned to them. Some regions have special forms of autonomy because of their historical, linguistic, or geographical circumstances. Below the regional level are municipalities, called comuni, and intermediate bodies such as provinces and metropolitan cities. A comune is often the public authority closest to daily life and handles many local administrative matters and community services. Public administration, or pubblica amministrazione, turns laws and political decisions into permits, records, benefits, services, inspections, and other official actions. Different offices may share a field, but each office can act only within its legal competence. Italy also belongs to the European Union. EU rules and institutions interact with Italian law and administration, while Italy remains a sovereign state with its own constitutional institutions.