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.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. |