Government of Italy

The Government of the Italian Republic is the constitutional body that heads the executive branch of Italy. Its fundamental regulation is located in Title III of the Italian Constitution.^[1]

It is composed of the President of the Council of Ministers and the Ministers, who form the Council of Ministers. Subsecretaries of State generally also form part of the Government, some of whom assume the role of deputy ministers.

It has its official headquarters in the Chigi Palace in Piazza Colonna in Rome. Other headquarters of the representation of the Italian Government are Villa Doria Pamphilj, Villa Madama and the Farnesina Palace, all located in Rome.

The current cabinet, called the Draghi Government, named after its President of the Council Mario Draghi, came into force on February 13, 2021 after being sworn in at the Quirinal Palace.

The Government is a constitutional body as provided by the Italian Constitution in articles 92, 93, 94, 95 and 96 and insofar as it contributes, in a position of independence from other state bodies, to the formulation of the political direction. Title III, section II, of the Constitution determines its discipline and functions. In general, the government also includes deputy secretaries of state, some of whom may be given the title of deputy ministers.

It is chaired by the President of the Council of Ministers, who ranks fourth in the order of precedence of Italian positions (after the President of the Republic, the President of the Senate, the President of the Chamber of Deputies

The president of the Council of Ministers has a position of pre-eminence over the other members of the government. He has the task of forming the government once the mandate has been received by the head of state and of electing the ministers. If he resigns, the whole government will have to resign too.

In government, one or more ministers may hold the position of Vice President of the Council of Ministers, elected by the Council of Ministers. His task is to replace the latter when the President is absent or has a temporary impediment.