page_title: Politics of Italy
section_title: Executive branch
hierarchical_section_title: Politics of Italy / Government / Executive branch
caption_attribution_description: Italiano: Giuseppe Conte
context_page_description: The politics of Italy are conducted through a parliamentary republic with a multi-party system. Italy has been a democratic republic since 2 June 1946, when the monarchy was abolished by popular referendum and a constituent assembly was elected to draft a constitution, which was promulgated on 1 January 1948.
  Executive power is exercised by the Council of Ministers, which is led by the Prime Minister, officially referred to as "President of the Council". Legislative power is vested primarily in the two houses of Parliament and secondarily in the Council of Ministers, which can introduce bills and holds the majority in both houses. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative branches. It is headed by the High Council of the Judiciary, a body presided over by the President, who is the head of state, though this position is separate from all branches. The current president is Sergio Mattarella, and the current prime minister is Giuseppe Conte.
  The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Italy as a "flawed democracy" in 2017. A high degree of fragmentation and instability, leading to often short-lived coalition governments, is characteristic of Italian politics.
context_section_description: The Constitution establishes the Government of Italy as composed of the president of the council (prime minister) and ministers. The President of Italy appoints the prime minister and, on his proposal, the ministers that form its cabinet.
caption: Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister since 1 June 2018
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