Type Unicameral Seats 90 | Founded May 25, 1947 Last election October 28, 2012 | |
 | ||
President Giovanni Ardizzone, UDC
Since December 5, 2012 Political groups Government (54)
PD (23)
CpS (8)
PDR (8)
NCD (7)
SD (4)
PSE (4)
Opposition (36)
M5S (14)
FI (8)
PdS (4)
GS (4)
LM (3)
Mixed Group (3) | ||
The Sicilian Regional Assembly is the legislative body of Sicily. While it has a long history as an autonomous region, the modern Region of Sicily was established by Royal Decree on May 15, 1946, before the Italian Republic. The Regional Assembly has the widest legislative power in Italy and is the only regional assembly to have the title of "parliament" whose members are called "deputies" like those in Rome. Ninety deputies are elected every five years in the nine provinces.
Contents
History
The Sicilian Parliament is arguably considered the oldest parliament in the world (together with that Icelandic and faroese, which, however, had no decision-making powers, a fact which makes the Sicilian Parliament the first in the modern sense). In 1097 came the first conference in Mazara del Vallo convened by Roger I the Great Count of a parliament initially travelling.
Since 1130 the House seat is the Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo.
The election of a democratic Parliament came at the end of World War II, when for the vast defuse separatist movement in Sicily, was granted special autonomy and was reborn, 25 May 1947, as the Sicilian Regional Assembly. In 1997 the Assembly celebrated its 900th anniversary as the first assembly was convened in 1097. On 26 January 2008, for the first time in republican history, the Assembly is dissolved by the resignation of President Salvatore Cuffaro of the region.
Seat
The Assembly has its seat in the prestigious Palazzo Reale in Palermo. It was constructed in the 11th century with the Norman conquest of Sicily and has seen several expansion and renovation operations. It hosted the kings of Sicily, including Frederick II of Swabia, and later the viceroy of Spain. Adjacent is the Palatine Chapel. The tourist services in the Palace and the Palatine Chapel are entrusted to the Foundation Frederick II.
Composition
The Assembly is composed of ninety deputies elected by direct universal suffrage every five years by voters in Sicily. From 25 May 1947 to now there were XV legislatures, initially for a period of four years, while in 1971 five years. For the first time the XIV^ legislature ended prematurely in 2008 due to the resignation of the President of the region, Salvatore Cuffaro. The electoral mechanism, which includes a barrier of 5% of the list, provide for the provincial colleges of 80 members plus the president-elect and a candidate for president most votes among the non-elect. The remaining eight seats are allocated to the majority share to reach 54 members, otherwise, if it has been already achieved, are given as a reward minority (as they did in 2008).