Council of Ministers (Istalia)

The Council of Ministers (Istalian: Consiglio dei Ministri) is the principal collective decision-making body of the Istalian Government. It comprises the President of the Council (i.e. the prime minister) and 12 cabinet ministers while junior ministers (Italian: sottosegretari) are part of the government, but are not members of the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers is chaired by the President of the Republic, unlike the government, but is still led by the prime minister.

Composition and Formation
All members of the Istalian government are nominated by the President of the Republic on the advice of the President of the Council who after being nominated to lead a government must propose a list of ministers to the Head of the State who can either accept or reject these proposed ministers. Members of the government are ranked in a precise order, which is established at the time of government formation. In this hierarchy, the prime minister is the Head of Government. As said, he is nominated by the President of the Republic who must nominate a candidate that reflects the will of the majority into the of the Chamber of Deputies, as the government is responsible before it: the Head of Government and the cabinet collectively, in fact, after the appointment, are proposed to the Chamber by the President for a vote of confiace.

Functions
According to the Constitution, the Government directs and decides the policy of the nation. In practice, the government writes bills to be introduced to parliament, the so called in istalian D.d.l. (Disegni di Legge in luthorian Draft Law's), and also writes and issues decrees. All bills and some decrees must be approved by the Council of Ministers. Furthermore, it is the Council of Ministers that defines the collective political and policy direction of the government, and takes practical steps to implement that direction. In addition to writing and implementing policy, the government is responsible for national defence and directs the actions of the Istalian Armed Forces together with the President of the Republic who is the commander-in-chef. The workings of the government of Istalia are based on the principle of collegiality.

Relations with the Parliament
The government, as said, is responsible to the Istalian Parliament, in particular the Chamber of Deputies which have to express its confiance. The government so must assume responsibility for its actions before the Parliament which can dismiss the government with both a costructive or a destructive motion of censure. The government can carry out only the day by day work during the tenure of an acting (interim) president, as that position is granted to the President of the Council, compromising separation of powers. If the government decides to launch an armed operation with a duration of longer than four months, it must first consult parliament and request an authorisation.

The current cabinet:

http://classic.particracy.net/viewcabinet.php?nationid=39

Cabinet History of Istalia (after 4260)

 * Prime Ministers of the Istalian Republic (from 4155 to 4252)

The current cabinet
See http://classic.particracy.net/viewcabinet.php?nationid=39