Twelfth President of Italy

For the first time in the 67-year history of the Italian Republic, the incumbent head of state reseated the president's seat. Giorgio Napolitano, a popular politician at the national level, who has repeatedly led the country out of the political impasse, had to agree to a second presidential term, to the completion of which he will turn 94 years old. Since April 20, 2013, he is the 12th president of the country. The parliamentarians who unexpectedly laid the burden of responsibility for the state on the elderly shoulders of Napolitano did not violate any article of the Constitution in which it is clearly indicated how the president of Italy should be elected. By the way, in the Basic Law of the country there is no article determining how many times one and the same citizen can be elected to the post of head of state.

The Italian Constitution makes the following demands for a candidate for the post of head of state:

• Citizenship of the Italian Republic,
• Age from 50 years,
• Possession of civil and political rights.

7 years - the term for which the President of Italy is elected. Electors participate in a secret ballot: deputies, senators and delegates appointed by the regional councils of all regions of the country. To win in the first 3 rounds of voting, the candidate for the presidency should score more than 2/3 of the votes of the participants in the meeting, in 4 and subsequent rounds for the election to the presidency of Italy, it is enough to get the majority of votes. Giorgio Napolitano after 6 rounds became the first in Italian history re-elected president.

For the solemn ceremony of taking the oath, a joint meeting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Italian Republic is specially convened. The law prohibits the combination of the post of president with any other position. The President of Italy heads the state, represents national unity and is the guarantor of the constitution.

Under the constitution, the head of state is entrusted with the functions of the commander of the armed forces, the chairman in the Supreme Council of Defense and the Supreme Council of the Magistracy. The President of Italy appoints a referendum and parliamentary elections; Ratifies international agreements; Enjoys the right of pardon. They are appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister of Italy. The head of state appoints ministers upon the proposal of the prime minister. The constitutional norms provide for two prerogatives of the president in relation to the parliament: he has the right to dissolve one or at once two chambers of parliament and the right to demand a reconsideration of bills. However, the suspensive veto of the head of state in the parliament can be overcome by a simple majority of votes. A separate article of the Italian Constitution exempts the president from responsibility for the actions he performs while in office. Responsibility of the president comes only in case of treason to the interests of the state or encroachment on the Constitution. The official residence of the President - the Quirinal Palace - is in Rome.

Recent events related to the re-election of Napolitano for a second term, indicate the increased influence of the president on the activities of the parliamentary republic. Whether his role will remain limited to the formal functions of the "guardian of constitutional values," time will tell.