Governing Italy: The Politics of Bargained Pluralism

Is it possible to make sense of a political system where 123 people, each from different parties, can run for a single seat in parliament? This volume studies this contemporary Italian political system. Through an analysis of the system, the author explains party organization, formal government institutions—legislature, executive, judiciary, administrative, and sub-national—as well as the impact of the European Community on the national political system. He includes with a discussion of recent reforms at both national and local levels, and assesses the debate on wider constitutional reform.