POLITICAL SCENARIO OF ITALY

 THIS IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ITALY'S POLITICAL SCENARIO.

The politics of Italy is conducted through a constitutional republic with a multi-party system. Italy has been a democratic republic since June 2, 1946, when the monarchy was abolished by popular referendum .The constitution was written by the Constituent Assembly of Italy and promulgated on January 1, 1948. The executive power is exercised collectively by the Council of Ministers, which is led by the Prime Minister, officially referred to as President of the Council ("Presidente del Consiglio"). Legislative power is vested in the two houses of parliament primarily, and secondarily on the Council of Ministers, which can introduce bills and holds the majority in the parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative branches. It is headed by the High Council of the Judiciary. The President is the head of state, though his position is separate from all branches.

The current President of Italy is Giorgio Napolitano and current Prime Minister of Italy is Matteo Renzi.

MOTTO  OF ITALY:

Italy is a democratic Republic founded on labour. Sovereignty belongs to the people and is exercised by the people in the forms and within the limits of the Constitution.

HEAD OF THE STATE

As the head of state, the President of the Republic represents the unity of the nation and has many of the duties previously given to the king of Italy. The President serves as a point of connection between the three branches: he is elected by the lawmakers, he appoints the executive, and is the president of the judiciary. The president is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

The President of the Republic is elected for seven years by Parliament in joint session, together with three representatives of each region, except for the Aosta Valley, which gets only one representative.

The only Presidents ever to be elected on the first ballot are Francesco Cossiga and Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. Mr. Ciampi was replaced by Giorgio Napolitano, who was elected on 10 May 2006. While it is not forbidden by law, no president had ever served two terms, until 20 April 2013, when president Giorgio Napolitano was re-elected

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

With article 48 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to vote, the people exercise their power through their elected representatives in the Parliament.The Parliament has a bicameral system, and consists of the Chamber of deputies and the Senate, elected every five years.

The Chamber of deputies is elected by direct and universal suffrage by voters who are eighteen. There are 630 deputies, twelve of which are elected in the overseas constituencies. All voters who are twenty-five on election day are eligible to be deputies.

The Senate is elected by direct and universal suffrage by voters who are twenty-five. There are 315 senators, six of whom are elected in the overseas constituencies.

PRESIDENT OF SENATE
PIETRO GRASSO

JUDICIAL BRANCH

The Constitution states that justice is administered in the name of the people and that judges are subject only to the law. So the judiciary is a branch that is completely autonomous and independent of all other branches of power, even though the Minister of Justice is responsible for the organization and functioning of those services involved with justice and has the power to originate disciplinary actions against judges, which are then administered by the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the President.

The Italian judicial system is based on Roman law, the Napoleonic code and later statutes. It is based on a mix of the adversarial and inquisitorial civil law systems, although the adversarial system was adopted in the Appeal Courts in 1988. Appeals are treated almost as new trials, and three degrees of trial are present. The third is a legitimating trial.

There is only partial judicial review of legislation in the American sense. Judicial review exists under certain conditions, established by the Constitutional Law, in the Constitutional Court, or Corte Costituzionale, which can reject anti-constitutional laws after scrutiny. When the Court declares a law unconstitutional, the law ceases to have effect the day after the publication of the ruling.

LIST OF PARTIES OF ITALY

Major parties

• Democratic Party (Partito Democratico)
• Five Star Movement (Movimento Cinque Stelle)
• Forward Italy (Forza Italia)
• Northern League (Lega Nord)
• New Centre-Right (Nuovo Centrodestra)
• Civic Choice (Scelta Civica)
• Left Ecology Freedom (Sinistra Ecologia Libertà)
• Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d'Italia

Minor parties

• Act to Stop the Decline (Fare per Fermare il Declino)
• Alliance for Italy (Alleanza per l'Italia)
• Christian Democracy (Democrazia Cristiana)
• Communist Refoundation Party (Partito della Rifondazione Comunista)
• Democratic Centre (Centro Democratico)
• Solidary Democracy (Democrazia Solidale)
• Federation of the Greens (Federazione dei Verdi)
• Freedom and Rights (Libertà e Diritti)
• Future and Freedom (Futuro e Libertà)
• Green Italy (Green Italia)
• Great South (Grande Sud)
• Italian Radicals (Radicali Italiani)
• Italian Republican Party (Partito Repubblicano Italiano)
• Italian Socialist Party (Partito Socialista Italiano)
• Italy of Values (Italia dei Valori)
• Italy Work in Progress (Italia Lavori in Corso)
• Movement for the Autonomies (Movimento per le Autonomie)
• New Italian Socialist Party (Nuovo Partito Socialista Italiano)
• Party of Italian Communists (Partito dei Comunisti Italiani)
• Pensioners' Party (Partito Pensionati)
• Populars for Italy (Popolari per l'Italia)
• The Populars of Italy Tomorrow / Popular Construction (I Popolari di Italia Domani / Cantiere Popolare)
• The Right (La Destra)
• Tricolour Flame (Fiamma Tricolore)
• Union of Christian and Centre Democrats / Union of the Centre (Unione dei Democratici Cristiani e di Centro / Unione di Centro)
• Union of Democrats for Europe (Unione Democratici per l'Europa)
• Workers' Communist Party (Partito Comunista dei Lavorat

ITALIAN FLAG

                       LONG LIVE ITALY THE PLACE OF WONDER

!*JINGLE BELLS, ITALY  YELLS*!

You had decided to go on a full-fledged Christmas vacation to Italy; a plan that was very well executed long before looking through the gory details of the country. You are going to be leaving for Italy in less than a week and still have no idea over the celebrations and things-to-do in the Bel Paese (beautiful country). Well, there's nothing for you to worry about, as you have just stumbled across the right post.

Before I get to the Department of Fun & Frolic, I shall give myself the pleasure of briefing you about the traditional Christmas celebrations in Italy. 

Novena

Christmas in Italy goes for three weeks, starting 8 days before Christmas known as the Novena. During this period, children go from house to house reciting Christmas poems and singing. In some parts shepherds bring musical instruments into the villages, play and sing Christmas songs. In the week preceding Christmas, children go from house to house dressed as shepherds, playing pipes, singing and reciting Christmas poems. They are given money to buy presents.

Panettone

Urn of Fate

A strict feast is observed for 24 hours before Christmas Eve, and is followed by a celebration meal, in which a light Milanese cake called Panettone features as well as chocolate (sounds delicious, doesn't it?). On christmas Eve the dinner is called Cenone which is a traditional dish of eel. Presents and empty boxes, are drawn from the Urn of Fate - lucky dip, which always contains one gift per person. By twilight, candles are lighted around the family crib known as the Presepio, prayers are said, and children recite poems. At noon, on Christmas, the pope gives his blessing to crowds gathered in the huge Vatican square.

Presepio

Christmas lunch is Tortellini in Brodo which is filled pasta parcels in broth, also served is Cappone which is boiled capon, or roasts are served in central Italy. Another famous cake is Pandoro which originated from Verona.

Befana-The Witch

In Italy, the children wait until Epiphany, January 6, for their presents. According to tradition, the presents are delivered by a kind ugly witch called Befana on a broomstick. It was said that she was told by the three kings that the baby Jesus was born, she was busy and delayed visiting the baby.She missed the Star lost her way and has been flying around ever since, leaving presents at every house with children in case he is there. She slides down chimneys, and fills stockings and shoes with good things for good children and it is said leaves coal for children who are not so good.

Department of Fun & Frolic

Things TO DO in Italy for a FLABBERGASTING EXPERIENCE

Vaporetto Ride

1. Take a night ride on the #1 vaporetto in Venice- Instead of the cliché and expensive Venice gondola ride, one evening before or after dinner, hop on the slow-moving #1 vaporetto at one end of its run and ride it to the other end. This is preferably done with a serving of gelato in hand and someone to cuddle with in the dark. And be sure you can snag a spot with a view, so you can see the moonlit sights of Venice as you glide past.

2. Take yourself back to the Renaissance period - The Uffizi Gallery is on just about every must-do list for Italy, and there’s a good reason for it. Nowhere else on earth will you see such an amazing collection of Italian Renaissance art, all contained in gorgeous buildings once roamed by Medicis. 

3. Get a guided tour of the Vatican Museums – You could walk yourself through the Vatican Museums, but it’s probably better to follow a guide who’ll point out the truly important pieces and keep you from spending too much time on the rest of it. And as a bonus, with most tours you’ll get a guided visit to St. Peter’s Basilica as well.

Florence's Duomo

4. Climb Florence’s Duomo- This is perhaps not for those with fear of heights or small spaces, but for a spectacular view of Florence’s historic center and an interesting lesson in architecture and engineering, you could do worse than to climb to the top of the dome of Florence’s Duomo. If you’d prefer to have the dome itself in your rooftop view, then climb Giotto’s bell tower instead.

5.Eat pizza in Naples – There’s nothing like eating something as universally well-known as pizza in the place where it was born, and for that you’ve got to go to Naples. 

6. Visit the Greek ruins in Sicily – When you think of Italy, you probably think mostly of Roman ruins. But on Sicily you can branch out a bit by touring both Roman and Greek ruins, and the stuff the Greeks left behind is even older than the stuff from ancient Rome. A walk through the Valley of the Temples is highly recommended.

Roman Amphitheatre

7. See an opera in Verona – Opera fan or no, there’s nothing quite like sitting in a Roman amphitheatre, just as people have done for thousands of years, watching a show. As the age old saying goes, When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

8. Wander the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome – When Rome wears you out, or you’re tired of overpriced meals around all the tourist attractions, look no further than the Trastevere. This old neighborhood is full of twisting cobbled streets, peace and quiet during most days, cheap eats, and boisterous groups of young people at night.

Gelato

9. Eat two scoops of gelato daily – This is easy to do(provided you forget you are visiting during winter), no matter where you are in Italy. Remember,Italian gelato is made with milk, not cream, so it’s a lot less fattening than you think. And you’re walking everywhere, anyway, so it’s a well-deserved treat.

10. Get lost in Venice – Some places require a map. Some places require that you forget the map. Venice is in the latter category. It’s an island, people, so you’re not going to get too far off track. With that in mind, leave your map in your hotel (maps are all but useless in this city anyway) and get yourself good and lost in Venice. It’s by far the best way to spend a day in the canal city.

Colosseum

Don't worry, the list has one more to-do to go as  ending with 10 is mainstream. So here goes #11:
11. Walk in Caesar’s footsteps in Rome– History buff or no, it’s impossible not to marvel at a structure like the Colosseum, or stand in awe on the cobblestones of the Roman Forum and think about who walked there before you.

With this ends the list of the things you can't miss out on your Christmas vacation to Italy. :)

BUON VIAGGIO

Secchione Poindexter

04/12/2014

A view into Italy!!

A couple of days back, we were posed with a question back in college; we had to choose a topic and had to create a blog on it. The topic had to be something that could be extensively discussed on and had to capture interest. As you can imagine, it was indeed difficult.

But the miracle in it, me and my friends could quite easily choose one. Maybe because of the common interest's we had. Or maybe  it was because the topic we finally arrive upon was truly something that had a place in the heart's of just about anyone who had heard about it.

Italy

While the french may rightfully brag about Paris, Italy has equally showstopping cities like Venice, Florence and of course, who could forget, Rome. Beauty, style and flair furnish every aspect of daily life, from the perfect espressos to the flirtatious smiles of striking strangers. The root of Italian pathology is a dedication to living life well and effortlessly. It is thus very easily understandable why a group of girls who had a love for fashion, cuisines, nature, art, architecture and even today's modern language would choose to fill up page after page writing about a master piece like Italy.

Located in the southern Europe, Italy consists of 20 regions that feel almost like 20 independent states, each with it's own dialect, tradition, architecture, food and even climate.

So then, you might ask, for such a glorious country that is one of Mother Nature's darlings, there are obviously other blogs out there that go one highlighting about Italy. Why then do we choose to follow the same path.

For that we say, while there are of course other blogs on Italy, there couldn't possibly be one that talks about topics ranging from cuisine to human psychology to colors to the ideology of the youth's and even the political scenario of just this one country. It is an assurance that there are several other blogs out there that talk about Italy as a tourist destination but this blog is an attempt to put forth a teenagers view on country so illustrious.

This blog, is a humble attempt to put out there the bucket load of information there is on the net about the country , in a precise, condensed form from the perspective of the younger generation and a stage to express our views.

From the north's icy Alps and glacial lakes to south's volcanic craters and turquise grottoes, this is a place for doing as well as seeing. One day you're tearing down Courmayeur's powdery slopes, the next you could be riding cowboy-style across the marshes of Maremma, or diving in coral-studded Campanian waters.

Italy's main economic sectors are tourism, fashion, engineering, chemical, motor vehicles and food. After all, it's northern regions are among st the richest in Europe.

We all are huge fans of Pizza and of course we all know that it is a part of the Italian cuisine. From delicate tagliatelle al ragù to velvety cannoli, every bite feels like a revelation. Their secret: superlative ingredients and strictly seasonal produce. And while Italy's culinary soul might be earthy and rustic, it's equally ingenious and sophisticated.Italian cuisine is one of the most refined and varied in Europe, from the piquant flavors of Naples and Calabria to the pesto dishes of Liguria and the cheese and risotto dishes of the Italian Alps.

When we move on from the delicious food, we automatically then think about the famous architectural place like 'The Colosseum' or 'The Pantheon'(and no by that I do not mean the shopping street here in Chennai but indeed the famous dome structure in Italy) or even 'St.peter's Basilica. Italy has a very broad and diverse architectural style, which cannot be simply classified by period, but also by region, because of Italy's division into several regional states until 1861. This has created a highly diverse and eclectic range in architectural designs.

The basis of the modern Italian language was established by the Florentine poet Dante Alighieri. There is no shortage of celebrated literary figures in Italy: Giovanni Boccaccio, Giacomo Leopardi , andPetrarch, whose best-known vehicle of expression, the sonnet, was created in Italy.

From folk music to classical, music has always played an important role in Italian culture. Instruments associated with classical music, including the piano and violin, were invented in Italy, and many of the prevailing classical music forms, such as the symphony, concerto, and sonata, can trace their roots back to innovations of 16th- and 17th-century Italian music.

Through the centuries, Italy has given birth to some of the most notable scientific minds, particularly in modern and the contemporary era including 'da Vinci', 'Galileo' and several other prominent polymaths and many others that played major roles in contribution to various feilds and even played a major role in the scientific revolution.

Italian fashion has a long tradition, and is regarded as one of the most important in the world. Milan, Florence and Rome are Italy's mainfashion capitals. Milan is considered the true fashion capital of the world, surpassing other major capitals including New York, Paris and even London.After all, we've all heard of  Gucci,Prada, Valentino, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and several others that are regarded among the finest fashion houses in the world. Fasion magazine 'Vogue italia' is considered today to be the most important and prestigious fashion magazine in the world.

As we move on to the ever famous field of sports, even those having least interest would know about it's ever famous and successful football team that has one for FIFA World Cups ranking as the world's second most successful national football team. But of course, not stopping with this one sport, Italy is also famous for it's play in volleyball, basketball, rugby and several other sports.

If I've managed to keep your attention and if I've managed to allow you to read all this, I'm a hundred percent sure that the rest of our blog, will maintain and capture your interest and tell you everything you need to know about Italy in a very interesting manner.

So slow down, take note, and indulge in a little bella vita.