Authorities Implement Measures to Ascertain Compliance
The State-Region Pact: A shaking-up long overdue
It's high time we talk about the need for amendments to the special statutes of the autonomous regions in Italy. Autonomy, a seemingly positive term, has seen better days. As reported in the red folder, presented to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on October 3, 2023, this issue has been discussed among the presidents of the autonomous regions, but political wrangles seem to be the stumbling block.
The debate, for the most part, occurs behind closed doors, with power plays and divided agendas taking center stage. In the Aosta Valley, for instance, things unfold far from the public eye, with attorney Adriano Consol, president of Autonomies biens communs Vallée d'Aoste, reminding us of this unfortunate reality.
The principle of prior agreement between the State and the Regions is absent from the current scenario. This lacuna gives Parliament the power of veto and modification, boiling everything down to political whims and maneuvers.
But, why is this important?
The autonomous regions in Italy boast high guarantees and significant power, yet they lack control over modifying their statutes. The paradox, as Lorenza Violini, a professor at the University of Milan, points out, is that while they have substantial privileges, they lack input in setting the rules that govern them.
The solution? A contractual agreement enshrined in an ordinary law, according to Antonio D'Andrea of the University of Brescia. This law, after passing through Parliament (with a double vote in both chambers), would establish the process for future modifications, subordinating them to a State-Region agreement.
Jurist and political commentator Gianmario Demuro disagrees. He argues that any alteration to the statutes must be made through a constitutional law, thereby involving the Constitutional Court. Violini concurs, suggesting that the constitutional framework needs to be modified, similar to the Lateran Pacts.
Comparative examples, such as the South Tyrol autonomy and Spain's constitutional model, indicate the value of negotiated statutory updates that reflect compromises between national and regional authorities. These examples demonstrate that the principle of agreement can be ensured through constitutional provisions, bilateral agreements, formalization in statutes, ratification, and judicial oversight.
While the autonomy issue may seem obscure, its impact on Italy's political landscape is far-reaching. By securing a State-Region agreement, we can create a more balanced and equitable system that respects both the autonomy of the regions and the sovereignty of the State.
- The need for amendments to the special statutes of the autonomous regions in Italy, as discussed among the presidents of the autonomous regions, has been hindered by political wrangles, reminding us of the closed-door debate that occurs in the Aosta Valley.
- The principle of prior agreement between the State and the Regions, which is absent from the current scenario, gives Parliament the power of veto and modification, reducing everything to political whims and maneuvers.
- Gianmario Demuro, a jurist and political commentator, argues that any alteration to the statutes of the autonomous regions must be made through a constitutional law, thereby involving the Constitutional Court.
- Comparative examples, such as the South Tyrol autonomy and Spain's constitutional model, indicate the value of negotiated statutory updates that reflect compromises between national and regional authorities, suggesting that the principle of agreement can be ensured through constitutional provisions, bilateral agreements, formalization in statutes, ratification, and judicial oversight.
