Politics of Molise

The politics of Molise, a region of Italy, takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democracy, whereby the president of regional government is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the regional government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Regional Council.[1]

Executive branch

The regional government (Giunta Regionale) is presided by the president of the region (Presidente della Regione), who is elected for a five-year term, and is composed by the president and the ministers (Assessori), who are currently 8.[2]

List of presidents

No. President Took office Left office Tenure Political party Legislature
(Election)
Elected by the Regional Council (1970–2000)
1 Carlo Vitale
(1930–1973)
1970 1973[†] 2–3 years Christian Democracy
(DC)
I
(1970)
2 Giustino D'Uva
(1924–1984)
1st time
23 January 1973 16 June 1975 2 years, 144 days Christian Democracy
(DC)
3 Florindo D'Aimmo
(1928–2013)
16 June 1975 30 March 1982 6 years, 287 days Christian Democracy
(DC)
II
(1975)
III
(1980)
(2) Giustino D'Uva
(1924–1984)
2nd time
30 March 1982 9 October 1984[†] 2 years, 193 days Christian Democracy
(DC)
4 Ulderico Adolfo Calogiovanni
(1917–1996)
5 November 1984 13 May 1985 189 days Christian Democracy
(DC)
5 Paolo Nuvoli
(1935–2025)
13 May 1985 16 January 1988 2 years, 248 days Christian Democracy
(DC)
IV
(1985)
6 Fernando Di Laura Frattura
(1932–2015)
16 January 1988 27 July 1990 2 years, 192 days Christian Democracy
(DC)
7 Enrico Santoro
(born 1932)
27 July 1990 3 August 1992 2 years, 7 days Christian Democracy
(DC)
V
(1990)
8 Luigi Di Bartolomeo
(1943–2022)
3 August 1992 22 December 1993 1 year, 141 days Christian Democracy
(DC)
9 Giovanni Di Giandomenico
(born 1941)
15 March 1994 7 June 1995 1 year, 84 days Christian Democracy
(DC)
10 Marcello Veneziale
(born 1941)
1st time
7 June 1995 20 November 1998[a] 3 years, 166 days Democratic Party of the Left
(PDS)
VI
(1995)
11 Angelo Michele Iorio
(born 1948)
1st time
20 November 1998 11 May 1999[b] 172 days Forza Italia
(FI)
(10) Marcello Veneziale
(born 1941)
2nd time
11 May 1999 20 May 2000 1 year, 9 days Democrats of the Left
(DS)
Directly-elected presidents (2000–present)
12 Giovanni Di Stasi
(born 1950)
20 May 2000 21 November 2001[c] 1 year, 185 days Democrats of the Left
(DS)
VII
(2000)
(11) Angelo Michele Iorio
(born 1948)
2nd time
21 November 2001 30 November 2006 11 years, 117 days Forza Italia
(FI)
(2001–2009)

The People of Freedom
(PdL)
(2009–2013)

VIII
(2001)
30 November 2006 15 November 2011 IX
(2006)
15 November 2011 18 March 2013[d] X
(2011)
13 Paolo Di Laura Frattura
(born 1962)
18 March 2013 8 May 2018 5 years, 51 days Democratic Party
(PD)
XI
(2013)
14 Donato Toma
(born 1957)
8 May 2018 6 July 2023 5 years, 59 days Forza Italia
(FI)
XII
(2018)
15 Francesco Roberti
(born 1967)
6 July 2023 Incumbent 2 years, 173 days Forza Italia
(FI)
XIII
(2023)

^† Died in office

  1. ^ Resigned after losing the majority in the Regional Council, which then elected the leader of the opposition Angelo Michele Iorio (FI) as the new President.
  2. ^ Resigned after losing the majority in the Regional Council, which then re-elected the former President Marcello Veneziale to the office.
  3. ^ In 2001, the Administrative Regional Court (Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale or TAR) found some irregularities in the 2000 election and ordered a recall election.
  4. ^ In 2012, the Administrative Regional Court (Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale or TAR) found some irregularities in the 2011 election and ordered a recall election.

Legislative branch

The Regional Council of Molise (Consiglio Regionale del Molise) is composed of 30 members. 24 councillors are elected in provincial constituencies by proportional representation using the largest remainder method with a Droop quota and open lists, while 6 councillors (elected in bloc) come from a "regional list", including the president-elect. One seat is reserved for the candidate who comes second. If a coalition wins more than 50% of the total seats in the council with PR, only 3 candidates from the regional list will be chosen and the number of those elected in provincial constituencies will be 26. If the winning coalition receives less than 40% of votes special seats are added to the council to ensure a large majority for the President's coalition.[3]

The council is elected for a five-year term, but, if the president suffers a vote of no confidence, resigns or dies, under the simul stabunt, simul cadent clause introduced in 1999 (literally they will stand together or they will fall together), also the council is dissolved and a snap election is called.[4]

Current composition

The Regional Council of Molise is currently composed of the following political groups:[5]

Party Seats Status
Brothers of Italy (FdI)
4 / 21
In government
Forza Italia (FI)
3 / 21
In government
Democratic Party (PD)
3 / 21
In opposition
Us Moderates (NM)
2 / 21
In government
Molise We Want (McV)
2 / 21
In government
Five Star Movement (M5S)
2 / 21
In opposition
Lega
1 / 21
In government
Populars for Italy (PpI)
1 / 21
In government
Roberti for President (RP)
1 / 21
In government
Building Democracy (CD)
1 / 21
In opposition
Gravina for President (GP)
1 / 21
In opposition

By coalition:

Coalition Seats Status
Centre-right coalition
14 / 21
Government
Centre-left coalition
7 / 21
Opposition

Local government

Provinces

Province Inhabitants President Party Election
Campobasso 223,871 Francesco Roberti Forza Italia 2019
Isernia 84,548 Alfredo Ricci Forza Italia 2019

Municipalities

Municipality Inhabitants Mayor Party Election
Campobasso 49,148 Roberto Gravina Five Star Movement 2019
Isernia 21,654 Piero Castrataro Democratic Party 2016

Parties and elections

Latest regional election

25–26 June 2023 Molise regional election results
Candidates Votes % Seats Parties Votes % Seats
Francesco Roberti 94,770 62.24 1
Brothers of Italy 26,649 18.85 4
Forza Italia 16,924 11.97 3
Molise we want 13,971 9.88 2
Molise in Good Hands – Us Moderates 10,582 7.48 2
Populars for Molise 9,666 6.84 1
League 8,481 6.00 1
Union of the CentreDCNDC 5,005 3.54 0
Total 91,278 64.55 13
Roberto Gravina 55,308 36.32 1
Democratic Party 17,031 12.04 3
Five Star Movement 10,044 7.10 2
Building Democracy 8,105 5.73 1
Greens and Left AllianceTerritorial Equity 6,742 4.77 0
Gravina for President–Progress Molise 5,928 4.19 0
Democratic and Socialist Molise 1,086 0.77 0
Total 48,936 34.61 6
Emilio Izzo 2,191 1.44 0 I don't vote for the usual 1,197 0.85 0
Blank and invalid votes 4,912 3.13
Total candidates 152,269 100.00 2 Total parties 141,411 100.00 19
Registered voters/turnout 327,805 47.95
Source: Elezioni Molise 2023

References

  1. ^ Albanese, Valentina Erminia; Mastrostefano, Giada (14 April 2023). "Rappresentazione, narrazione e identità territoriali: il Molise e la mitopoiesi della non-esistenza". Bollettino della Società Geografica Italiana: 65–77. doi:10.36253/bsgi-1672. hdl:11383/2154111. ISSN 2974-5780.
  2. ^ "Componenti della Giunta, Attribuzioni".
  3. ^ La Repubblica – Regional electoral law
  4. ^ "Regional Council of Lombardy – 1999 Constitutional law" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
  5. ^ "Gruppi consiliari XXII LEGISLATURA | Consiglio Regionale del Molise". consiglio.regione.molise.it (in Italian). Retrieved 4 July 2019.