# Politics of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol

The Politics of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy) takes place in a framework of a parliamentary 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 and Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Regional Council. However, since a constitutional reform in 1972, almost all the executive and legislative powers are devolved to the two provinces of which the region is composed: Trentino and the South Tyrol.
The politics of Trentino takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democracy, whereby the governor is heads of government, while the politics of South Tyrol retains a parliamentary system, in which the governor is usually the most voted provincial deputy and heads the provincial government.

## Regional government

The Regional Government (Giunta Regionale, Landesregierung) is presided by the President of the Region (Presidente della Regione, Landeshauptmann) and is composed by the President and the Ministers (Assessori), who are currently 5, including two Vice Presidents. Since 2001, the Presidents of the two Provinces alternate as President of the Region, with the one who's not in charge serving as First Vice President.

### List of presidents

Presidents of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol :
| President | Party | Term | Legislature |
| Tullio Odorizzi | DC | 1948–1953 | I Legislature |
| Tullio Odorizzi | DC | 1953–1957 | II Legislature |
| Tullio Odorizzi | DC | 1957–1961 | III Legislature |
| Luigi Dalvit | DC | 1961–1965 | IV Legislature |
| Luigi Dalvit | DC | 1965–1967 | V Legislature |
| Giorgio Grigolli | DC | 1967–1969 | V Legislature |
| Giorgio Grigolli | DC | 1969–1973 | VI Legislature |
| Bruno Kessler | DC | 1974–1976 | VII Legislature |
| Flavio Mengoni | DC | 1976–1977 | VII Legislature |
| Spartaco Marziani | DC | 1977–1979 | VII Legislature |
| Enrico Pancheri | DC | 1979–1984 | VIII Legislature |
| Pierluigi Angeli | DC | 1984–1987 | IX Legislature |
| Gianni Bazzanella | DC | 1987–1989 | IX Legislature |
| Gianni Bazzanella | DC | 1989–1992 | X Legislature |
| Tarcisio Andreolli | DC | 1992–1994 | X Legislature |
| Tarcisio Grandi | PPI | 1994–1999 | XI Legislature |
| Margherita Cogo | DS | 1999–2002 | XII Legislature |
| Carlo Andreotti | PATT | 2002–2004 | XII Legislature |
| Luis Durnwalder | SVP | 2004–2006 | XIII Legislature |
| Lorenzo Dellai | Civica | 2006–2008 | XIII Legislature |
| Luis Durnwalder | SVP | 2008–2011 | XIV Legislature |
| Lorenzo Dellai | UpT | 2011–2013 | XIV Legislature |
| Alberto Pacher | PD | 2013–2014 | XIV Legislature |
| Ugo Rossi | PATT | 2014–2016 | XV Legislature |
| Arno Kompatscher | SVP | 2016–2018 | XV Legislature |
| Arno Kompatscher | SVP | 2018–2021 | XVI Legislature |
| Maurizio Fugatti | LT | 2021–2024 | XVI Legislature |
| Arno Kompatscher | SVP | 2024–present | XVII Legislature |

## Regional Council

The Regional Council of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol is composed of 70 members, 35 from Trentino and 35 from South Tyrol. The regional deputies are elected separately as provincial deputies. In practice the Regional Council is the meeting of the two Provincial Councils.

## Political parties and elections

The Region has actually two different system of parties: one for each Province. Since the constitutional reform of 2001, regional elections are nothing more than two separate provincial elections and the Region does not provide anymore vote totals region-wide.

## Politics of Trentino
### Provincial government
#### List of presidents

This is the list of presidents of Trentino (Italian: Presidente, German: Landeshauptmann) since 1948.
| President | President | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Administration | Coalition | Legislature |
| Legislature ||
| 1 | Giuseppe Balista (1901–1977) | 20 December 1948 | 19 December 1952 | DC | Balista I | DC | I (1948) |
| 1 | Giuseppe Balista (1901–1977) | 4 years | 4 years | DC | Balista II | DC | I (1948) |
| 2 | Remo Albertini (1920–2005) | 19 December 1952 | 14 December 1956 | DC | Albertini | DC | II (1952) |
| II (1952) ||
| 3 | Riccardo Rosa (1902–1970) | 14 December 1956 | 30 December 1960 | DC | Rosa | DC | III (1956) |
| III (1956) ||
| 4 | Bruno Kessler (1924–1991) | 30 December 1960 | 13 March 1974 | DC | Kessler I | DC | IV (1960) |
| 4 | Bruno Kessler (1924–1991) | 30 December 1960 | 13 March 1974 | DC | Kessler II | DC • PSI | V (1964) |
| 4 | Bruno Kessler (1924–1991) | 13 years, 2 months and 14 days | 13 years, 2 months and 14 days | DC | Kessler III | DC | VI (1968) |
| 5 | Giorgio Grigolli (1927–2016) | 13 March 1974 | 15 March 1979 | DC | Grigolli I | DC • PSDI • PRI | VII (1973) |
| 5 | Giorgio Grigolli (1927–2016) | 5 years and 3 days | 5 years and 3 days | DC | Grigolli II | DC | VII (1973) |
| 6 | Flavio Mengoni (1929–2013) | 15 March 1979 | 30 October 1985 | DC | Mengoni I | DC • PRI | VIII (1978) |
| 6 | Flavio Mengoni (1929–2013) | 15 March 1979 | 30 October 1985 | DC | Mengoni II | DC • PRI | VIII (1978) |
| 6 | Flavio Mengoni (1929–2013) | 15 March 1979 | 30 October 1985 | DC | Mengoni III | DC • PSDI • PLI | VIII (1978) |
| 6 | Flavio Mengoni (1929–2013) | 15 March 1979 | 30 October 1985 | DC | Mengoni IV | DC • PSDI • PLI | VIII (1978) |
| 6 | Flavio Mengoni (1929–2013) | 6 years, 7 months and 16 days | 6 years, 7 months and 16 days | DC | Mengoni V | DC • PRI • PLI | IX (1983) |
| 7 | Pierluigi Angeli (born 1938) | 30 October 1985 | 16 February 1989 | DC | Angeli | DC • PSI • PRI | IX (1983) |
| IX (1983) ||
| 8 | Mario Malossini (born 1947) | 16 February 1989 | 4 June 1992 | DC | Malossini | DC • PSI | X (1988) |
| X (1988) ||
| 9 | Gianni Bazzanella (born 1940) | 4 June 1992 | 4 March 1994 | DC | Bazzanella | DC • PSI • PSDI | X (1988) |
| X (1988) ||
| 10 | Carlo Andreotti (born 1943) | 4 March 1994 | 24 February 1999 | PATT | Andreotti | PATT • PRI • PSDI | XI (1993) |
| XI (1993) ||
| 11 | Lorenzo Dellai (born 1959) | 24 February 1999 | 29 December 2012 | DL | Dellai I | The Olive Tree (DL • DS • FdV) | XII (1998) |
| 11 | Lorenzo Dellai (born 1959) | 24 February 1999 | 29 December 2012 | DL | Dellai II | The Olive Tree (DL • DS) | XIII (2003) |
| 11 | Lorenzo Dellai (born 1959) | 24 February 1999 | 29 December 2012 | UpT | Dellai III | PD • UpT • PATT | XIV (2008) |
| XIV (2008) ||
| 12 | Alberto Pacher (born 1956) | 29 December 2012 | 9 November 2013 | PD | Pacher | PD • UpT • PATT | XIV (2008) |
| XIV (2008) ||
| 13 | Ugo Rossi (born 1963) | 9 November 2013 | 2 November 2018 | PATT | Rossi | PD • UpT • PATT | XV (2013) |
| XV (2013) ||
| 14 | Maurizio Fugatti (born 1972) | 2 November 2018 | Incumbent | LT | Fugatti I | LT • FI • CT | XVI (2018) |
| 14 | Maurizio Fugatti (born 1972) | 5 years, 11 months and 8 days | 5 years, 11 months and 8 days | LT | Fugatti II | LT • FdI • PATT | XVII (2023) |

### Provincial Council
#### Latest provincial election

2023 Trentino provincial election results :
| 117131321465 |||||||||||
| Candidates | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats | Parties | Parties | Votes | % | Seats | +/− |
| | Maurizio Fugatti | 129,758 | 51.82 | 1 |
| | Maurizio Fugatti | 129,758 | 51.82 | 1 | | Trentino League | 30,347 | 13.05 | 5 | –8 |
| | Maurizio Fugatti | 129,758 | 51.82 | 1 | | Brothers of Italy | 28,714 | 12.35 | 5 | +5 |
| | Maurizio Fugatti | 129,758 | 51.82 | 1 | | Fugatti for President | 24,953 | 10.73 | 4 | New |
| | Maurizio Fugatti | 129,758 | 51.82 | 1 | | Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party | 19,011 | 8.18 | 3 | –3 |
| | Maurizio Fugatti | 129,758 | 51.82 | 1 | | La Civica | 11,285 | 4.85 | 2 | ±0 |
| | Maurizio Fugatti | 129,758 | 51.82 | 1 | | Forza Italia | 4,708 | 2.02 | 0 | –1 |
| | Maurizio Fugatti | 129,758 | 51.82 | 1 | | Fassa Association | 2,018 | 0.87 | 1 | ±0 |
| | Maurizio Fugatti | 129,758 | 51.82 | 1 | | Union of the Centre | 1,362 | 0.59 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Maurizio Fugatti | 129,758 | 51.82 | 1 | Total | Total | 122,398 | 52.64 | 20 | –3 |
| | Francesco Valduga | 93,888 | 37.50 | 1 |
| | Francesco Valduga | 93,888 | 37.50 | 1 | | Democratic Party | 38,689 | 16.64 | 7 | +3 |
| | Francesco Valduga | 93,888 | 37.50 | 1 | | Campobase | 19,553 | 8.41 | 3 | +2 |
| | Francesco Valduga | 93,888 | 37.50 | 1 | | Autonomy House | 9,968 | 4.29 | 1 | New |
| | Francesco Valduga | 93,888 | 37.50 | 1 | | Greens and Left Alliance | 7,565 | 3.25 | 1 | +1 |
| | Francesco Valduga | 93,888 | 37.50 | 1 | | Fascegn | 3,634 | 1.56 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Francesco Valduga | 93,888 | 37.50 | 1 | | Italia Viva | 3,399 | 1.46 | 0 | New |
| | Francesco Valduga | 93,888 | 37.50 | 1 | | Action | 3,302 | 1.42 | 0 | New |
| | Francesco Valduga | 93,888 | 37.50 | 1 | Total | Total | 86,110 | 37.03 | 12 | +5 |
| | Filippo Degasperi | 9,533 | 3.81 | 1 |
| | Filippo Degasperi | 9,533 | 3.81 | 1 | | Wave | 5,864 | 2.52 | 0 | New |
| | Filippo Degasperi | 9,533 | 3.81 | 1 | | My Valley | 1,204 | 0.52 | 0 | New |
| | Filippo Degasperi | 9,533 | 3.81 | 1 | | People's Union | 1,088 | 0.47 | 0 | ±0 |
| | Filippo Degasperi | 9,533 | 3.81 | 1 | Total | Total | 8,156 | 3.51 | 0 | — |
| | Marco Rizzo | 5,651 | 2.26 | 0 | | Sovereign Popular Democracy | 5,457 | 2.35 | 0 | New |
| | Sergio Divina | 5,558 | 2.22 | 0 |
| | Sergio Divina | 5,558 | 2.22 | 0 | | Popular Alternative | 2,261 | 0.97 | 0 | New |
| | Sergio Divina | 5,558 | 2.22 | 0 | | Us with Divina for President | 1,845 | 0.79 | 0 | New |
| | Sergio Divina | 5,558 | 2.22 | 0 | | Youth for Divina | 642 | 0.28 | 0 | New |
| | Sergio Divina | 5,558 | 2.22 | 0 | Total | Total | 4,748 | 2.04 | 0 | — |
| | Alex Marini | 4,796 | 1.92 | 0 | | Five Star Movement | 4,523 | 1.95 | 0 | –1 |
| | Elena Dardo | 1,205 | 0.48 | 0 | | Alternative | 1,121 | 0.48 | 0 | New |
| Total candidates | Total candidates | 250,389 | 100 | 3 | Total parties | Total parties | 232,513 | 100 | 32 | ±0 |
| Source: Autonomous Province of Trento |||||||||||

### Local government

| Municipality | Inhabitants | Mayor | Party | Election |
| Trento | 117,317 | Franco Ianeselli | Democratic Party | 2020 |
| Rovereto | 39,289 | Francesco Valduga | Democratic Party | 2020 |
| Pergine Valsugana | 21,280 | Roberto Oss Emer | Independent | 2020 |
| Arco | 17,526 | Alessandro Betta | Democratic Party | 2020 |
| Riva del Garda | 16,926 | Cristina Santi | Lega Trentino | 2020 |

## Politics of South Tyrol

The politics of South Tyrol is conducted through a parliamentary, democratic autonomous province with a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised collectively by the Landesregierung, which is led by the Governor, referred to as "Landeshauptmann" in German. Legislative power is vested in the Landtag primarily, and secondarily on the provincial government. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative branches. South Tyrol has been an autonomous province within the Italian Republic since 1948, when the Gruber – De Gasperi Agreement was agreed upon between Austria and Italy. The current Landeshauptmann is Arno Kompatscher.

### Provincial government

The local government system is based upon the provisions of the Italian Constitution and the Autonomy Statute of the Region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The 1972 second Statute of Autonomy for Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol devolved most legislative and executive competences from the regional level to the provincial level, creating de facto two separate regions.
The executive powers are attributed to the provincial government (German: Landesregierung; Italian: Giunta Provinciale) headed by the Landeshauptmann Arno Kompatscher, who has been in power since 2014. He belongs to the South Tyrolean People's Party.

#### List of governors

Governors of South Tyrol :
| Governor | Party | Term | Term | Coalition | Legislature | Election |
| Karl Erckert (1894–1955) | SVP | 20 December 1948 | 19 December 1952 | SVP • DC • PSDI • UI | I Legislature | 1948 |
| Karl Erckert (1894–1955) | SVP | 20 December 1952 | 15 December 1955 | SVP • DC | II Legislature | 1952 |
| Alois Pupp (1900–1969) | SVP | 7 January 1956 | 14 December 1956 | SVP • DC | II Legislature | 1952 |
| Alois Pupp (1900–1969) | SVP | 15 December 1956 | 30 December 1960 | SVP • DC | III Legislature | 1956 |
| Silvius Magnago (1914–2010) | SVP | 31 December 1960 | 3 February 1965 | SVP • DC | IV Legislature | 1960 |
| Silvius Magnago (1914–2010) | SVP | 4 February 1965 | 16 February 1969 | SVP • DC | V Legislature | 1964 |
| Silvius Magnago (1914–2010) | SVP | 17 February 1969 | 14 May 1970 | SVP • DC | VI Legislature | 1968 |
| Silvius Magnago (1914–2010) | SVP | 15 May 1970 | 14 March 1974 | SVP • DC • PSI | VI Legislature | 1968 |
| Silvius Magnago (1914–2010) | SVP | 15 March 1974 | 10 April 1979 | SVP • DC • PSI | VII Legislature | 1973 |
| Silvius Magnago (1914–2010) | SVP | 11 April 1979 | 26 April 1984 | SVP • DC • PSDI | VIII Legislature | 1978 |
| Silvius Magnago (1914–2010) | SVP | 27 April 1984 | 16 March 1989 | SVP • DC • PSI | IX Legislature | 1983 |
| Luis Durnwalder (b. 1941) | SVP | 17 March 1989 | 10 February 1994 | SVP • DC • PSI | X Legislature | 1988 |
| Luis Durnwalder (b. 1941) | SVP | 11 February 1994 | 3 February 1999 | SVP • PPI • PDS | XI Legislature | 1993 |
| Luis Durnwalder (b. 1941) | SVP | 4 February 1999 | 17 December 2003 | SVP • DS • PPI • UDAA | XII Legislature | 1998 |
| Luis Durnwalder (b. 1941) | SVP | 18 December 2003 | 17 December 2008 | SVP • DS • UDAA | XIII Legislature | 2003 |
| Luis Durnwalder (b. 1941) | SVP | 18 December 2008 | 8 January 2014 | SVP • PD | XIV Legislature | 2008 |
| Arno Kompatscher (b. 1971) | SVP | 9 January 2014 | 16 January 2019 | SVP • PD | XV Legislature | 2013 |
| Arno Kompatscher (b. 1971) | SVP | 17 January 2019 | 17 January 2024 | SVP • LAAS | XVI Legislature | 2018 |
| Arno Kompatscher (b. 1971) | SVP | 18 January 2024 | Incumbent | SVP • FdI • DF • LAAS • LC | XVII Legislature | 2023 |

### Provincial Council

The considerable legislative power of the province is vested in a provincial assembly called Landtag (German: Südtiroler Landtag; Italian: Consiglio della Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano; Ladin: Cunsëi dla Provinzia Autonoma de Bulsan). The legislative powers of the assembly cover all those subject matters that are not expressly reserved to the exclusive legislative power of the Italian State or to concurrent legislation per article 117 of the Italian Constitution.

#### Latest provincial election

| | South Tyrolean People's Party | 97,092 | 34.53 | 13 | −2 |
| | Team K | 31,201 | 11.09 | 4 | −2 |
| | South Tyrolean Freedom | 30,583 | 10.88 | 4 | +2 |
| | Greens | 25,445 | 9.05 | 3 | ±0 |
| | Brothers of Italy | 16,747 | 5.96 | 2 | +1 |
| | JWA List | 16,596 | 5.90 | 2 | New |
| | Die Freiheitlichen | 13,836 | 4.92 | 2 | ±0 |
| | Democratic Party | 9,707 | 3.45 | 1 | ±0 |
| | For South Tyrol with Widmann | 9,646 | 3.43 | 1 | ±0 |
| | League–United for Alto Adige | 8,541 | 3.04 | 1 | −3 |
| | La Civica | 7,301 | 2.60 | 1 | New |
| | Vita | 7,222 | 2.57 | 1 | New |
| | Five Star Movement | 2,086 | 0.74 | – | −1 |
| | Enzian | 1,990 | 0.71 | – | New |
| | Forza Italia | 1,625 | 0.58 | – | ±0 |
| | Centre-Right | 1,601 | 0.57 | – | New |
| Total | Total | 281,219 | 100.00 | 35 | – |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 281,219 | 96.87 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 9,080 | 3.13 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 290,299 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 429,841 | 67.54 | | |
| Source: Official Results ||||||
Popular vote
SVP
34.53%
TK
11.09%
STF
10.88%
Grüne
9.05%
FdI
5.96%
JWA
5.90%
dF
4.92%
PD
3.45%
Widmann
3.43%
Lega
3.04%
Civica
2.60%
Vita
2.57%
M5S
0.74%
Enzian
0.71%
FI
0.58%
CD
0.57% :

### Local government

| Municipality | Inhabitants | Mayor | Party | Election |
| Bolzano | 106,441 | Renzo Caramaschi | Independent | 2020 |
| Merano | 39,462 | Paul Rösch | Greens | 2020 |
| Brixen | 21,535 | Peter Brunner | South Tyrolean People's Party | 2020 |
| Laives | 17,700 | Christian Bianchi | Lega Alto Adige Südtirol | 2020 |
| Bruneck | 16,109 | Roland Griessmair | South Tyrolean People's Party | 2020 |

### Autonomy and separatism

The Südtiroler Heimatbund asked the Soffi-Institute in Innsbruck to conduct an opinion poll on the future of South Tyrol. The poll was conducted at the end of 2005 in which only German-speaking South Tyroleans were asked. 45.33% of those asked were in favour of remaining with Italy, 54.67% were against remaining. The latter group comprised 33.40% in favour of an independent state and 21.27% in favour of Tyrolean reunification with Austria.
Another poll conducted in August 2008 by the apollis Institute of Social Research and Opinion Polling in Bolzano asked 502 Italian-speaking South Tyroleans of their opinion. The poll consisted of three parts. To the first question if a referendum about remaining with Italy should be held at all, 41% said yes and 59% no. In the event of a referendum, 78% wished to remain with Italy, 20% were in favour of an independent state and 2% in favour of Tyrolean reunification with Austria.
A poll conducted in 2013 among German and Ladin speakers by the Austrian Kasmarin agency showed the following results: To the question "If a referendum were conducted also in South Tyrol and you had a choice, how would you decide?", 26% would opt for staying within Italy, and 54% for independence from Italy.
Across the border in the Austrian state of Tyrol, the Tiroler Tageszeitung conducted a poll in January 2009 to gauge the opinion of the inhabitants of North and East Tyrol. 500 people were asked in the poll. In 2008, 45% wished a reunification with South Tyrol, that number increased in 2009 by 4% to 49% in favour. 36.6% were against reunification while 14.1% had no opinion. In the age group of 15- to 29-year-olds, 71% were in favour of reunification. The highest support by district was in the Oberland with 67% while Innsbruck city and district was lowest with 42%.
The independence controversy has been an issue especially of German-speaking right-wing parties: South Tyrolean Freedom, JWA List, Die Freiheitlichen and Citizens' Union for South Tyrol. With the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, the idea of a Freistaat (free state) resurfaced again. Especially, South Tyrolean Freedom and her founding leader Eva Klotz, with the campaign South Tyrol is not Italy!, have been among the strongest advocates of self-determination.

## Sources and further reading

* Trentino Alto-Adige Region – Elections
* Provincial Council of Trento – Legislatures
* Provincial Council of Bolzano – Legislatures
* Provincial Government of Trento – Elections
* Provincial Government of Bolzano – Elections
* Cattaneo Institute – Archive of Election Data
* Parties and Elections in Europe – Province of Trento
* Parties and Elections in Europe – Province of Bolzano
* Ministry of the Interior – Historical Archive of Elections
* "Political parties in Alto Adige from 1945 to 2005", an essay by Gunther Pallaver
* Marc Röggla. 2019. "Consensus Impossible? South Tyrol’s Autonomy Convention and the issue of Self-determination." Journal of Autonomy and Security Studies