Sicilian Regional Assembly

Sicilian Regional Assembly
Assemblea Regionale Siciliana
16th Legislature
Type
Type
History
Founded May 25, 1947
Leadership
President
Giovanni Ardizzone, UDC
Since December 5, 2012
Structure
Seats 90
Political groups

Government (54)

  •      PD (23)
  •      UDC (8)
  •      PDR (8)
  •      NCD (7)
  •      SD (4)
  •      PSE (4)

Opposition (36)

Elections
Last election
 October 28, 2012
Meeting place
Sala d'Ercole, Palazzo dei Normanni, Palermo
Website
ars.sicilia.it

The Sicilian Regional Assembly is the legislative body of Sicily. While it has a long history as an autonomous region, the modern Region of Sicily was established by Royal Decree on May 15, 1946, before the Italian Republic. The Regional Assembly has the widest legislative power in Italy and is the only regional assembly to have the title of "parliament" whose members are called "deputies" like those in Rome. Ninety deputies are elected every five years in the nine provinces.[1]

History

Main article: Sicilian Parliament

The Sicilian Parliament is arguably considered the oldest parliament in the world[2][3] (together with that Icelandic[4] and faroese,[5] which, however, had no decision-making powers, a fact which makes the Sicilian Parliament the first in the modern sense). In 1097 came the first conference in Mazara del Vallo convened by Roger I the Great Count of a parliament initially travelling.

Since 1130 the House seat is the Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo.

The election of a democratic Parliament came at the end of World War II, when for the vast defuse separatist movement in Sicily, was granted special autonomy and was reborn, 25 May 1947, as the Sicilian Regional Assembly. In 1997 the Assembly celebrated its 900th anniversary as the first assembly was convened in 1097. On 26 January 2008, for the first time in republican history, the Assembly is dissolved by the resignation of President Salvatore Cuffaro of the region.

Seat

The Assembly has its seat in the prestigious Palazzo Reale in Palermo. It was constructed in the 11th century with the Norman conquest of Sicily and has seen several expansion and renovation operations. It hosted the kings of Sicily, including Frederick II of Swabia, and later the viceroy of Spain. Adjacent is the Palatine Chapel. The tourist services in the Palace and the Palatine Chapel are entrusted to the Foundation Frederick II.

Composition

The Assembly is composed of ninety deputies elected by direct universal suffrage every five years by voters in Sicily. From 25 May 1947 to now there were XV legislatures, initially for a period of four years, while in 1971 five years. For the first time the XIV^ legislature ended prematurely in 2008 due to the resignation of the President of the region, Salvatore Cuffaro. The electoral mechanism, which includes a barrier of 5% of the list, provide for the provincial colleges of 80 members plus the president-elect and a candidate for president most votes among the non-elect. The remaining eight seats are allocated to the majority share to reach 54 members, otherwise, if it has been already achieved, are given as a reward minority (as they did in 2008).

Presidents (1946-Present)[6]

Order Name (born-died) Legislature Term of office Political party
1 Ettore Cipolla (1875-1963) I 1947 1951 Liberal-qualunquista
2 Giulio Bonfiglio (1896-1958) II 1951 1955 Christian Democracy
3 Giuseppe La Loggia III 1955 1956 Christian Democracy
4 Giuseppe Alessi III 1956 1959 Christian Democracy
5 Ferdinando Stagno D'Alcontres IV 1959 1963 Christian Democracy
6 Rosario Lanza V 1963 1967 Christian Democracy
— Rosario Lanza VI 1967 1971 Christian Democracy
7 Angelo Bonfiglio VII 1971 1974 Christian Democracy
8 Mario Fasino VII 1974 1976 Christian Democracy
9 Pancrazio De Pasquale VIII 1976 1979 Italian Communist Party
10 Michelangelo Russo VIII 1979 1981 Italian Communist Party
11 Salvatore Lauricella IX 1981 1986 Italian Socialist Party
— Salvatore Lauricella X 1986 1991 Italian Socialist Party
12 Paolo Piccione XI 1991 1993 Italian Socialist Party
13 Angelo Capitummino XI 1993 1996 Christian Democracy
14 Nicola Cristaldi XII 1996 2001 National Alliance
15 Guido Lo Porto XIII 2001 2006 National Alliance
16 Gianfranco Miccichè XIV 2006 2008 Forza Italia
17 Francesco Cascio XV 2008 2012 The People of Freedom
18 Giovanni Ardizzone XVI 2012 incumbent Union of the Centre

References

  1. ↑ Regleg. Sicily. EU political regions.
  2. ↑ "Storia del Parlamento - Il Parlamento".
  3. ↑ Enzo Gancitano, Mazara dopo i Musulmani fino alle Signorie - Dal Vescovado all'Inquisizione, Angelo Mazzotta Editore, 2001, p. 30.
  4. ↑ "Hurstwic: Viking-age Laws and Legal Procedures".
  5. ↑ "The Faroese Parliament" (PDF).
  6. ↑ "Assemblea Regionale Siciliana - I Presidenti dell'Assemblea".

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Coordinates: 38°06′40″N 13°21′10″E / 38.11111°N 13.35278°E / 38.11111; 13.35278

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