The election of the tenth President of the Italian Republic

The election on the first ballot of Carlo Azeglio Ciampi to the Presidency of the Republic came as a surprise. This article explores how it occurred b y analysing the criteria usually employed to screen the candidates for Pres ident and the misplaced efforts by the secretary of the Partito popolare to win the office for a candidate of his party. An assessment of the powers o f the President, in particular those concerning the appointment of the Prim e Minister and the dissolution of parliament, is offered with reference to the experience of outgoing President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. The success of W alter Veltroni, secretary of the Leftist Democrats, and of Gianfranco Fini, leader of the National Alliance, in persuading the opposition to vote for Ciampi is related to their interest in reigniting a process for the reform of the political system and the construction of a majoritarian and bipolar democracy. President Ciampi may prove to be very helpful in this difficult task, but most of the initiative and responsibility lie with party leaders and members of parliament.