Principal Government Officials
President--Giorgio Napolitano
Prime Minister--Silvio Berlusconi
Foreign Minister--Franco Frattini
Minister of Defense--Ignazio LaRussa
Minister of Finance--Giulio Tremonti
Minister of Justice--Angelino Alfano
Minister of the Interior--Roberto Maroni
Ambassador to the United States--Giovanni Castellaneta Government Type: Republic since June 2, 1946.
Constitution: January 1, 1948.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state), Council of Ministers (cabinet), headed by the president of the council (prime minister). Legislative--bicameral parliament: 630-member Chamber of Deputies, 315-member Senate (plus a varying number of "life" Senators). Judicial--independent constitutional court and lower magistracy.
Subdivisions: 94 provinces, 20 regions.
Political parties: Forza Italia, Democratic Party of the Left, National Alliance, Northern League, United Christian Democrats, Democrats, Italian People's Party, Christian Democratic Center, Socialist, Communist Renewal, Social Democratic, Republican, Liberal, Greens, Italian Renewal.
Suffrage: Universal over 18.
Principal Government Officials
President--Giorgio Napolitano
Prime Minister--Silvio Berlusconi
Foreign Minister--Franco Frattini
Minister of Defense--Ignazio LaRussa
Minister of Finance--Giulio Tremonti
Minister of Justice--Angelino Alfano
Minister of the Interior--Roberto Maroni
Ambassador to the United States--Giovanni Castellaneta
