Hello! My name's Liliana. I'm a teacher of English (Language and Literature) to Italian teenage stu

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

British system of government vs Italian system of government

 

Here’s a scheme outlining the key differences between the British and Italian systems of government:

Aspect

British System


Italian System


Type of Government

Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy.

Parliamentary republic.


Head of State

Monarch (currently Queen Elizabeth II, but now King Charles III)

President of the Republic (elected by Parliament, currently Sergio Mattarella)


Head of Government

Prime Minister (leader of the largest party in the House of Commons)

Prime Minister (appointed by the President of the Republic)


Executive Power

Exercised by the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Monarch's role is mostly ceremonial.

Executive power rests with the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The President of the Republic has a more ceremonial role.


Parliament

Bicameral: House of Commons and House of Lords.

Bicameral: Chamber of Deputies and Senate.


Upper House

House of Lords (members are appointed, hereditary, or bishops of the Church of England)

Senate (members are elected, some are appointed for life)


Lower House

House of Commons (members are elected by the public)

Chamber of Deputies (members are elected by the public)


Electoral System

First-past-the-post (FPTP) in general elections for the House of Commons.

Mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) system for both houses.


Duration of Terms

Fixed 5-year term for the House of Commons, but the Prime Minister can call elections earlier.

5-year term for the Chamber of Deputies, Senators serve 6 years (with half elected every 3 years).


Formation of Government

The leader of the majority party in the House of Commons becomes Prime Minister.

The President appoints the Prime Minister based on parliamentary support.


Political Parties

Dominated by two main parties: Conservative Party and Labour Party.

Multi-party system with a range of parties (e.g., Partito Democratico, Lega, Forza Italia).


Judiciary

Independent, but no constitutional court; laws are interpreted by regular courts.

Independent judiciary with a Constitutional Court to interpret the constitution.


Constitution

Unwritten, based on statutes, conventions, and judicial decisions.


Written Constitution (Constitution of the Italian Republic, 1948)




Key Differences:

  • Monarchy vs. Republic: The UK has a hereditary monarchy (symbolic head of state), whereas Italy has a republic with an elected president.
  • Parliamentary vs. Presidential Role: The UK's monarchy plays a ceremonial role, while in Italy, the president holds more ceremonial powers, and the real executive power is in the hands of the prime minister and the cabinet.
  • Electoral Systems: The UK uses a first-past-the-post system, while Italy uses a mixed system that combines proportional representation and majoritarian elements.
  • Parliamentary Structure: Both countries have bicameral legislatures, but the UK’s upper house is unelected and hereditary (House of Lords), while Italy's Senate is elected.


Similarities

Both are parliamentary systems.

Both have ceremonial roles with limited executive powers.

Both have a Prime Minister as the head of government.

Both countries have a bicameral legislature.

Both countries have two legislative chambers.

Both hold regular elections for legislative bodies.

Different legal foundations, but both systems uphold rule of law.

Both have executives formed from the legislative body.

Both have foundational documents defining governance, though one is unwritten.

Both have independent judiciaries.

Both countries have multi-party systems with various coalitions.

Both countries have devolution of powers to regional governments.

Both have official websites for public information.

Both have embraced digital platforms for governance transparency.


 

Scheme: Similarities

Aspect

British System (UK)

Italian System (Italy)

Similarities

Form of Government

Parliamentary Monarchy

Parliamentary Republic

Both are parliamentary systems.

Head of State

Monarch (currently King Charles III)

President of the Republic (currently Sergio Mattarella)

Both have ceremonial roles with limited executive powers.

Head of Government

Prime Minister

Prime Minister

Both have a Prime Minister as the head of government.

Type of Parliament

Bicameral (House of Commons, House of Lords)

Bicameral (Chamber of Deputies, Senate)

Both countries have a bicameral legislature.

Main Legislative Bodies

House of Commons (elected) and House of Lords (appointed/hereditary)

Chamber of Deputies (elected) and Senate (elected, but senators can also be appointed)

Both countries have two legislative chambers.

Elections

Members of the House of Commons are elected (First-Past-The-Post)

Members of both the Chamber of Deputies and Senate are elected (Proportional Representation)

Both hold regular elections for legislative bodies.

Legal System

Common Law

Civil Law

Different legal foundations, but both systems uphold rule of law.

Executive Power

Held by the Prime Minister and Cabinet (members of Parliament)

Held by the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (appointed by the President)

Both have executives formed from the legislative body.

Constitution

No single written constitution (but key documents like the Magna Carta, Acts of Union, etc.)

Written Constitution (Constitution of 1948)

Both have foundational documents defining governance, though one is unwritten.

Judiciary

Independent judiciary, Supreme Court of the UK

Independent judiciary, Constitutional Court

Both have independent judiciaries.

Role of Political Parties

Major parties: Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats

Major parties: Partito Democratico, Lega, Movimento 5 Stelle

Both countries have multi-party systems with various coalitions.

Devolution

Devolved governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

Regional governments (21 regions with varying degrees of autonomy)

Both countries have devolution of powers to regional governments.

Key Government Websites

gov.uk

gov.it

Both have official websites for public information.

Use of Technology

Parliamentary proceedings streamed, government services digitalized

Parliament sessions and services online

Both have embraced digital platforms for governance transparency.

Monday, March 31, 2025

The body language

body language 


bodylanguage 2


https://www.ted.com/talks/luca_molina_the_power_of_body_language?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare





regular verbs

 a1

* to walk 

* to talk 

* to listen 

* to play 

* to work 

* to watch 

* to cook

 * to clean 

* to help 

* to jump 

* to learn 

* to start

 * to finish 

* to open 

* to close 

* to need 

* to want

 * to ask 

* to answer 

* to look

b1

* to achieve 

* to allow 

* to appear

 * to arrange 

* to attend 

* to avoid 

* to belong 

* to concern 

* to consider 

* to contain 

* to contribute

 * to create 

* to depend 

* to describe 

* to develop 

* to discover 

* to encourage 

* to establish 

* to exist

 * to expect 

* to explain 

* to express 

* to imagine 

* to include

 * to influence 

* to intend 

* to involve 

* to manage 

* to mention 

* to occur 

* to perform

 * to prepare

 * to produce 

* to provide *

 to realise (realize) 

* to recommend 

* to reduce 

* to refer 

* to require 

* to respond 

* to solve 

* to suggest

 * to support 

* to treat


HAPPY BIRTHDAY WORDS and EXPRESSIONS

 Here's a breakdown of various English expressions, ranging from classic to more creative:



Classic and Heartfelt:

  • Happy Birthday! (The standard and always appropriate)
  • Wishing you a very happy birthday!
  • Many happy returns!
  • Have a wonderful birthday!
  • All the best on your birthday!
  • Wishing you a day filled with happiness!
  • Hope you have a fantastic birthday!

Warm and Personal:

  • Wishing you the happiest of birthdays!
  • Sending you lots of birthday wishes!
  • Warmest birthday greetings to you!
  • May your birthday be filled with love and laughter!
  • Hope your special day brings you all that your heart desires!

Fun and Playful:

  • Happy birthday to you! You're not getting older, you're getting better!
  • Happy birthday! Let's celebrate!
  • Hope you have a fun-filled birthday!
  • Another year older, another year wiser! Happy birthday!
  • Happy birthday! Time to party!

Short and Sweet:

  • Happy B-day!
  • Best wishes!
  • Enjoy your day!
  • Have a great one!

More Creative Expressions:

  • Wishing you a day as special as you are.
  • May all your birthday wishes come true.
  • Here's to another year of amazing you!
  • Celebrating you today!
  • Hope your birthday is as awesome as you are!