page_title: Statuto Albertino
section_title: The State (Articles 1-23)
hierarchical_section_title: Statuto Albertino / Provisions / The State (Articles 1-23)
caption_attribution_description: English: Portrait of Charles Albert of Sardinia (1798-1849) Italiano: Ritratto di Carlo Alberto di Savoia esposto al Museo del Risorgimento di Roma
context_page_description: The Statuto Albertino, was the constitution that Charles Albert of Sardinia conceded to the Kingdom of Sardinia in Italy on 4 March 1848. The Statute later became the constitution of the unified Kingdom of Italy and remained in force, with changes, until 1948, although, de facto, it was mostly voided after 1925, when the prime minister Benito Mussolini began acting as dictator.
context_section_description: The Statute starts by establishing Roman Catholicism as the sole state religion. Freedom of religion was granted for all existing forms of worship, in conformity with the law. The Kingdom of Italy was a representative monarchy, with an hereditary crown, in accordance with the Salic law, which effectively limited succession to male members of the royal family. Legislative power was exercised collectively by the King, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Executive power was vested in the King alone, who was declared to be "sacred and inviolable."
  Among the powers of the King were the capacity to 
  declare war, as commander-in-chief of all the armed forces.
  conclude treaties of peace, of alliance, of commerce and others. He was required to notify the Chambers of these treaties except in circumstances where vital state interests and national security concerns forbade it. However, treaties entailing either a financial burden or changes in the territories of the State had to be ratified by the Chambers.
  appoint all state officials.
  sign bills into law and promulgate them, as well as issue the decrees and regulations necessary for their execution.
  propose new legislation, a power shared with the Chambers.  However, taxation and appropriations bills were required to originate in the Chamber of Deputies.
  annually convene the Chambers, prorogue them and dissolve the Chamber of Deputies, with the proviso that a new Chamber must be convened within four months of its dissolution.
  grant clemency and commute sentences.
  The King reached majority at the age of eighteen. During his minority, the prince most closely related to him in accordance with the order of succession served as regent to the throne and tutor of the King, taking this last duty from the Queen Mother after the King turned seven. If that prince was younger than 21, these duties passed to the next in line, until the King reached majority. In the absence of male relatives, the Queen Mother served as regent. If there was no Queen Mother, the ministers were required to convene the Chambers within ten days to name a regent. The same procedures applied in the event of physical incapacity of the reigning King, but if the crown prince was already of age, he automatically became regent.
  The Statute established the economic benefits and privileges of the Crown and the members of the royal family, reaffirming also the King's ownership of His assets, which included royal palaces, villas and gardens, as well as all His personal properties. Of these assets the Statute mandated an inventory to be compiled and regularly updated by the responsible Minister.
  During the coronation, the King was required to swear before both Chambers to act in accordance with the Statute, while the regent was required to swear loyalty to the King and the Statute.
caption: Portrait of Carlo Alberto of Savoy.
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