Features and Implications of Semi-Parliamentarism: The Direct Election of Italian Mayors

Abstract

An important electoral and institutional reform has been introduced in Italian local government since 1993: the direct election of the mayor and of the president of the provincial government, but with the possibility that the legislature may pass a vote of no confidence in them. Through this reform a new system of government has been established: semi-parliamentarism, institutionally different from the established democratic systems of government. So far, this system appears to have had positive effects on the stability of Italian local government, although it did not reduce (as it was not expected to do) the traditional multi-party format of the Italian local party system. The question arises whether the latter insignificant effect might constrain the former positive effect.