Technocratic government (Italy)

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Ministers of the Monti Cabinet, the government of experts, formed in November 2011, following the collapse of the Berlusconi IV Cabinet, which was tasked to deal with the effects the Great Recession. Monti Cabinet with Giorgio Napolitano.jpg
Ministers of the Monti Cabinet, the government of experts, formed in November 2011, following the collapse of the Berlusconi IV Cabinet, which was tasked to deal with the effects the Great Recession.

In Italy, a technocratic government, technical government (Italian : governo tecnico) or government of technicians (Italian : governo dei tecnici), is the term used to refer to a cabinet made up of experts not officially affiliated to any political party or political coalition. Technocracy in Italy, as elsewhere, has often proved to be controversial. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] These governments tend to be formed during emergencies, usually an economic crisis, and are seen by some as undemocratic. There have been two such governments in the history of Italy: the Dini Cabinet, and the Monti Cabinet.

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Context

Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, was the first non-Member of Parliament to serve as prime minister Ciampi ritratto.jpg
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, was the first non-Member of Parliament to serve as prime minister

In a technocratic government major decisions are not made by elected politicians, and the government policy is not decided by party leaders. [7]

The Constitution of Italy doesn't prevent non-Members of Parliament from serving as prime minister, as it simply states that the prime minister is appointed by the president and must win a confidence vote in both houses of parliament within ten days of said appointment.

In some cases, in the aftermath of political turmoil, multiple parties in Parliament (who together were able to make up a majority) agreed to support a neutral cabinet of experts headed by an independent prime minister, voting in favor of motions of confidence in the government, in something similar to a confidence and supply agreement. Said cabinets of experts were tasked to deal with the crises and emergencies; once the critical situations were deemed to have been solved, the technocratic Governments resigned, allowing for new elections to be held and for a prime minister with a direct mandate from the people to take their place.

Lamberto Dini headed the first Italian technocratic government Lamberto dini.jpg
Lamberto Dini headed the first Italian technocratic government

There have been two "governments of experts" in Italian History: the Dini Cabinet, [8] and the Monti Cabinet. [9] [10] Some cabinets, such as the Ciampi Cabinet (1993-1994) and the Draghi Cabinet (2021-2022) were called "technocratic cabinets" or "cabinets of experts", even though they included elected politicians and senior party members in their makeup. [11] [12]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ The site of Italian Senate
  2. ↑ "Government by nerds one step from tyranny". theaustralian.com.au.
  3. ↑ "In defence of Europe's technocrats". guardian.co.uk.
  4. ↑ "Minds like machines". economist.com.
  5. ↑ "Who voted for you, Mario Monti?". telegraph.co.uk.
  6. ↑ "Bin-Pitruzzella". pp. 121, 2005.
  7. ↑ "Bin-Pitruzzella". p. 119.
  8. ↑ Delia Cosereanu (2 December 2010). "The image of the government". lettera43.it. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  9. ↑ "The Oath of the Monti Government". quirinale.it. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  10. ↑ Mario Monti, interviewed by Euronews was askee whether [the failure of Italy and Greece's elected politicians to solve the debt crisis "demonstrate[d] the failure of politicians and the accepted way of running the politics?". Mario Monti: "I hope and believe that this is not happening. I am probably not the person who can evaluate it neutrally, because I belong to the technocracy that at the moment operates internally. The conflict among the political parties in Italy became unbearavle and devastating, it was impossible to form a new political coalition. It was necessary for people who don't belong to the political and party system in these countries to make temporary interventions [sic!]. I hope that this method succeeds". "Monti: 'not the birth of a 2-speed Europe'". euronews.net. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  11. ↑ Silverio Novelli. "Post-it with the names of the governments". treccani.it . Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  12. ↑ Flavia Amabile (17 November 2011). "Perché si parla di governo tecnico?". lastampa.it. Archived from the original on 23 November 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2015.

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