San Marino was originally led by the Arengo, initially formed with the heads of each family. In the 13th century, power was given to the Great and General Council. In 1243, the first two Captains Regent were nominated by the council, and that system is still in use today.
The legislature of the republic is the Grand and General Council (Consiglio grande e generale). The council is a unicameral legislature which has 60 members with elections occurring every 5 years under a majoritarian representation system in a sole national constituency. Citizens eighteen years or older are eligible to vote. Besides general legislation, the Grand and General Council approves the budget and elects the Captains Regent, the State Congress, the Council of Twelve, the Advising Commissions, and the Government Unions. The council also has the power to ratify treaties with other countries. The council is divided into five different Advising Commissions consisting of 15 councilors which examine, propose, and discuss the implementation of new laws that are on their way to being presented on the floor of the council.
Every six months, the Council elects two Captains Regent to be the heads of state. The foundational theory was to create a balance of power or, at least, reciprocal control. They serve a 6-month term. The investiture of the Captains Regent takes place on April 1 and October 1 in every year. Once this term is over, citizens have 3 days in which to file complaints about the Captains' activities. If they warrant it, judicial proceedings against the ex-head(s) of state can be initiated.
The practice of dual heads of state, according to the principle of Collegiality, as well as the frequent re-election of same, are derived directly from the customs of the Roman Republic. The council is equivalent to the Roman Senate; the Captains Regent, to the consuls of ancient Rome.
The Congress of State is the government of the country and wields the executive power. It is composed by a variable number of Secretaries of State, which by law cannot exceed the number of 10, that are appointed by the Grand and General Council at the beginning of the legislature. Because of this fact, also the areas of competence of the various Secretaries are not fixed, as some could be merged depending on the number of Secretaries. The law identifies 10 sectors of the public administration for which the secretaries are politically responsible:
The Captains Regents participate to the Congress with coordination powers, but no voting right. While all the Secretaries are equally important on principle, over the years, the secretary of state for Foreign and Political Affairs has assumed many of the prerogatives of a prime minister or head of government.
Because tourism accounts for more than 50% of the economic sector, the government relies not only on taxes and customs for revenue, but also on the sale of coins and postage stamps to collectors throughout the world. In addition, the Italian Government pays San Marino an annual budget subsidy provided under the terms of the Basic Treaty with Italy.
Judiciary
The Council of Twelve
The Council of Twelve (Italian: Consiglio dei XII) serves as the supreme tribunal of the republic. The Grand and General Council elects the Council of Twelve, whose members remain in office until the next general election. The Council of Twelve has appellate jurisdiction in the third instance. Two government inspectors represent the State in financial and patrimonial questions.
The Guarantors’ Panel on the Constitutionality of Rules
The Guarantors’ Panel on the Constitutionality of Rules (Italian: Collegio Garante della Costituzionalità delle Norme) is the highest court of San Marino in matters of constitutional law. The institution was established in February 2002, making it the youngest body of San Marino constitutional order. Its members are also elected by the Grand and General Council.
Judicial organization
The judicial system of San Marino is entrusted to foreign executives, both for historical and social reasons.[citation needed] The only native judges are the Justices of the Peace, who handle only civil cases where sums involved do not exceed €15,000.
San Marino carried out the last execution in its history in 1468 (by hanging). The death penalty was abolished for murder on 12 March 1848, and for other crimes two years later.
Current issues
The main issues confronting the current government include economic and administrative problems related to San Marino's status as a close financial and trading partner with Italy while at the same time remaining separated from the European Union (EU). The other priority issue will be to increase the transparency and efficiency in parliament and in relations among parliament, cabinet, and the Captains Regent.
A head of state is the public persona who officially embodies a sovereign state in its unity and legitimacy. Depending on the country's form of government and separation of powers, the head of state may be a ceremonial figurehead or concurrently the head of government and more.
San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino and also known as the Most Serene Republic of San Marino, is a European microstate enclaved by Italy. Located on the northeastern side of the Apennine Mountains, San Marino is the fifth-smallest country in the world and covers a land area of just over 61 km2, with a population of 33,660 as of 2022.
San Marino is an independent and sovereign member of the international community. It maintains an extensive diplomatic network relative to its diminutive size, as well as an active foreign policy and international presence.
Captains Regent are the two heads of state of the Republic of San Marino. They are elected every six months by the Grand and General Council, the country's legislative body. Normally the Regents are chosen from parties in coalition and serve a six-month term. The investiture of the Captains Regent takes place on 1 April and 1 October every year. This tradition dates back at least to 1243.
The Sammarinese Communist Party was a Marxist political party in the small European republic of San Marino. It was founded in 1921 as a section of the Communist Party of Italy (PCI). The organization existed for its first two decades as an underground political organization.
Diarchy, duarchy, or duumvirate is a form of government characterized by corule, with two people ruling a polity together either lawfully or de facto, by collusion and force. The leaders of such a system are usually known as corulers.
The Grand and General Council is the parliament of San Marino. The council has 60 members elected for a five-year term.
Oscar Mina is a Sanmarinese politician, who served as Captain Regent of San Marino with Paolo Rondelli from 1 April to 1 October 2022. He previously served as Captain Regent from 1 April 2009 to October 2009 together with Massimo Cenci.
The Sammarinese Fascist Party or PFS was a fascist political party that ruled San Marino from 1923 to 1943.
The fatti di Rovereta was a constitutional crisis in San Marino in 1957 in which the Grand and General Council was deliberately rendered inquorate to prevent the scheduled election of Captains-Regent. A provisional government was established in the village of Rovereta, in opposition to the outgoing Captains-Regent whose term had expired.
The Secretary for Foreign Affairs is the minister for foreign affairs of San Marino.
The Most Excellent is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in Spain and certain Spanish-speaking countries. Following Spanish tradition, it is an ex officio style and is used in written documents and very formal occasions.
General elections were held in San Marino on 4 March 1923 to elect the seventh term of the Grand and General Council. It was a snap election that marked the beginning of fascist rule in the republic. Left-wing parties were prevented from participating, while all centre-right forces ran as a single "Patriotic Bloc". Of the 60 seats, 29 were taken by the Sammarinese Fascist Party, 20 by the Sammarinese People's Party, 9 by the Sammarinese Democratic Union and two by the Fascist-puppets Volunteers of War. Later the country was taken over by the Fascist Party.
Italy and San Marino have had diplomatic relations since Italian unification. Bilateral relations between Italy and San Marino have gone through various phases and have their official beginning after the Unification of Italy proclaimed in the Subalpine Parliament by Vittorio Emanuele II on 17 March 1861.
Alessandro Cardelli is a Sammarinese politician and one of the Captains Regent with Mirko Dolcini, serving from 1 October 2020 until 1 April 2021. During his tenure, he was the youngest state leader in the world and the only head of state under 30 years of age at the time.
Gian Carlo Venturini is a Sammarinese politician and one of the Captains Regent with Maurizio Rattini from 1 October 1996 until 1 April 1997 and the second time with Marco Nicolini from 1 April until 1 October 2021.
Manuel Ciavatta is a Sammarinese politician who was as one of two Captains Regent from 1 October 2022 until 1 April 2023. He served alongside Maria Luisa Berti.
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