Full Description
This volume examines the relationship between central government and local institutions, taking Italy as a case study to present a comparative perspective on how the Italian experience has influenced the global developments of federal and regional states.
As the country with the longest standing regional system, Italy has a lot to tell countries that are dealing with similar issues in present times. Adopting a theoretical/analytical approach coupled with comparative analysis, this volume critically reflects on the changes brought to the Italian system of government by the reform of Title V of the Italian constitution, the reasons why further decentralisation has been resisted and offers a comparative overview of the place and contributions that the Italian experience has brought to the global debate on regionalism and federalism. The book is divided into two parts: Part I distils the essence of the evolution of Italian regionalism and the respective debate before and after 2001. While focusing on Italy, the various chapters situate it within the global framework of discussion. Part II reflects on how the Italian regional constitutional architecture contributes to the global debate, particularly focusing on the main innovations brought about by constitutional reform.
The book will be essential reading for researchers, academics and policy-makers working in the areas of constitutional law and politics, and federalism.
Chapters 5 and 8 of this book are freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781003104469
Contents
Introduction: why is the trajectory of Italian regionalism comparatively important and what does it have to offer?
Part I: Federalism and regionalism: the Italian context
1. An intellecual history of Italian regionalism
2. The new "form of government" in the reforms of the Italian regional system
3. Federalism and regionalism in constitutional adjudication
4. Intergovernmental relationships in Italy: a feeble but useful model
5. Financial relations in the Italian regional system
6. Party systems in the Italian regions
Part II: Italy's major contributions to the global discussion: Italian regionalism in the global debate
7. The Italian regions in the European Union: story of an unaccomplished relationship
8. Asymmetries in the Italian regional system and their role model
9. Local governments and metropolitan cities: the Italian experience and its comparative relevance
10. Loyal cooperation: systemic principle of Italy's regionalism?
11. Federalism, regionalism, and the principle of subsidiarity
Concluding remarks: Regionalism: Italian lessons offered to complex states seeking legitimate and effective governance while being reluctant to federalism
