Law of Italy

Law of Italy is the body of laws and legal institutions governing the Italian Republic. It is rooted in the civil-law tradition and shaped by the Constitution and European Union law.

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Constitution of Italy: The supreme law of the Italian Republic, adopted in 1947 and in force since 1948. It establishes state institutions, fundamental rights, and limits on public power.
Italian Parliament: Italy’s bicameral legislature, composed of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. It passes statutes that become a principal source of national law.
Roman law: The legal system developed in ancient Rome and later transmitted through European legal traditions. Its concepts and texts helped shape the civil-law tradition inherited in Italy.
European Union law: The legal order of the European Union, comprising treaties, legislation, and judicial decisions. EU rules bind Italy in areas of Union competence and interact with domestic law.
Common law: A legal tradition in which judicial precedent is a major source of law alongside legislation. Its role for precedent differs from Italy’s code-centered civil-law tradition.
Italian civil law: The body of Italian law governing private relationships, including persons, property, contracts, and obligations. Its codes and doctrines form a central part of Italy’s civil-law system.
Italian Council of Ministers: Italy’s executive body, comprising the prime minister and ministers. It can propose legislation and adopt delegated or emergency measures under constitutional rules.
Napoleonic Code: The French civil code promulgated in 1804, influential in continental European codification. Its codifying model influenced nineteenth-century Italian private law.
European Court of Justice: The Court of Justice of the European Union, which interprets EU law and ensures its uniform application. Italian courts may refer questions about EU law to it for authoritative interpretation.
Italian legal system under fascism: The legal order of Italy under the Fascist regime, marked by authoritarian rule and curtailed political freedoms. It contrasts with the constitutional democracy established after the Second World War.