Politics in Italy and Italian-speaking countries

Politics in Italy

Italian Republic is a parliamentary republic with a multi-party system. The President is the head of state, while the Premier, or Prime Minister, is the head of government.
The country is divided into 20 administrative regions each with its own regional council and president, reflecting a significant level of regional autonomy.
Post World War II politics were dominated by Christian Democracy(CD) and the Italian Communist Party(CPI), establishing a politics of compromise where less powerful parties would band together to prevent a single party from reaching a majority.
The “Clean Hands” (Mani Pulite) investigation in the early 1990s exposed wide spread corruption, leading to suspicion and disillusionment towards the then governing parties; triggering a political shift.
The Present day, dynamic political landscape is characterised by frequent political alliances, coalitions and splits. Major players in the political sphere include the Five Star Movement, Democratic Party and League.
Far right parties such as Brothers of Italy and Northern League have gained considerable support in recent years, reflecting a shift in public sentiment towards nationalism and anti-immigration stances.

Politics in Swiss-Italian Cantons

Swiss-Italian cantons such as Ticino follow the general Swiss model of direct democracy and federalism.
Switzerland’s model of Federalism ensures that individual Cantons have significant autonomy, allowing for variation in policy and governance that reflects local needs and opinions.
Politics in Swiss-Italian regions reflect the larger themes of Swiss politics, such as neutrality, direct democracy, and bilingualism.
Swiss-Italian Cantons, similar to other Cantons, deal with issues such as immigration, national identity, and the socio-economic disparities between urban and rural areas.

Politics in Vatican City

Vatican City, home to the Roman Catholic Church, is an ecclesiastical absolute monarchy, the Pope being the monarch.
The Pope holds full legislative, executive and judicial power. The Cardinals of the Church, who are appointed by the Pope, form advisory groups.
Though it doesn’t have typical political parties, the sociopolitical dynamics of Vatican City are formed around religious, doctrinal and cultural issues.