Italian Bureaucracy’s Tug-of-War: Politics vs. Administration
A Historical Struggle for Autonomy and Impartiality
2025-06-14 05:09:00, Time.news Staff.
For centuries, Italy’s public administration has been entangled in a complex dance with political power, a relationship marked by both tension and reform.
- The Italian administrative model has historically been a direct extension of political power.
- Constitutional reforms in 1948 aimed to establish impartiality but faced ongoing challenges.
- Recent reforms have attempted to separate politics and administration, but with limited success.
The relationship between Italian politics and its public administration is a historically complex and debated issue. The Italian public administration has never established itself as an autonomous body but has always been directly influenced by political power. This dynamic has shaped the organizational culture, creating a system that is often hierarchical, centralized, and susceptible to political influences. Yet, the country’s regulatory and constitutional evolution has gradually introduced principles designed to ensure the administration’s autonomy and impartiality.
The Roots of Italy’s Administrative Model: The Cavour Law
The Italian public administration was born with the centralistic configuration of the Sabaudo state. The Cavour law of 1853 established a highly hierarchical structure, modeled after the French system, where the minister held nearly absolute power. Officials were subordinate, lacking independent responsibility, and working under the shadow of political leadership.
This model persisted even after Italy’s unification, reinforcing an administrative system that viewed authority as an extension of governmental power rather than a technical function.
The Long Road to Autonomy
In the late 19th century, reforms aimed at distancing the administration from politics began to emerge. Bettino Ricasoli, in 1866, pushed for strengthening management to neutralize bureaucracy. Proposals by Spaventa and Cardona focused on introducing objective selection criteria. The Crispina reform of 1888 further emphasized the role of the technical bureaucrat.
However, these reforms didn’t fully break from the hierarchical model, which endured even during the fascist regime.
The Constitutional Shift
The 1948 Constitution marked a significant conceptual shift. Although the text doesn’t explicitly distinguish between politics and administration, Article 97 was a turning point. It mandated the legal organization of public offices, selection by competition, and the obligation of good performance and impartiality. These principles are at odds with personalized and political management.
Public officials became servants of the law and the nation, not of the political powers of the executive branch.
However, this constitutional tension persisted, partially due to the ambiguity of Article 95, which reaffirms ministerial liability and allows for a highly centralized management of ministries.
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Recent Reforms: Autonomy vs. Control
The most ambitious effort to separate politics and administration came with d.lgs. 29/1993 (later merged into d.lgs. 165/2001), which separated political address (ministerial) from management functions (managers). The new management was intended to operate with technical autonomy, evaluated based on objectives and performance, following the principles of New Public Management.
However, practice revealed resistance: performance evaluations remained weak, and political influence persisted in appointments and removals.
This resulted in a “management bureaucracy” more concerned with procedural compliance than the quality of its actions.
The Managerial Model’s Challenges
In the advanced perspective of governance, public managers are expected to be “institutional entrepreneurs,” guiding networks and managing complex processes. This requires technical skills, leadership, strategic vision, and innovation. However, Italy’s legislative and cultural environment, characterized by an overabundance of laws, constraints, and a legalistic culture, hinders this role’s full development.
The Spoils System and Constitutional Issues
The attenuated introduction of the spoils system in the 1990s (Bassanini and Frattini law) increased tensions between political leadership and administrative neutrality. The ability to appoint and dismiss top managers based on their relationship with the government raised constitutional concerns related to Articles 51, 97, and 98 of the Constitution.
The Constitutional Court intervened to curb politicization. Sentence no. 103/2007 condemned the automatic “one-off” revocation of managerial positions, while no. 161/2008 reiterated the need to differentiate between political bodies and administrative structures. Only in limited cases, like the municipal secretary, has a legitimate trustee connection been allowed, provided it’s balanced by competence criteria.
Conclusion
The Italian system currently exists in a precarious balance. Public management remains in an ambivalent state: formally autonomous but susceptible to political pressure. Reforms of the last three decades haven’t resolved this fracture, leading to a dangerous oscillation between ineffective managerialism and defensive bureaucratism.
To overcome this, a renewed constitutional agreement between politics and administration is needed, based on:
- Clear separation of political address and technical management.
- Emphasis on merit and competence in selecting managers.
- An effective, transparent, and functional performance evaluation system.
- Functional autonomy for management, with guarantees.
Only then will it be possible to build an administration truly serving the public interest, capable of interpreting and implementing political choices without being consumed, and representing a solid defense against any form of clientelism or personalistic drift.
Bibliography
M. Ridolfi, “The distinction between politics and administration in the structure and organization of the PA”, Italian magazine of Public ManagementJanuary 2019, p. 98.
R. Puntnam, “political attitudes of high bureaucracy in western Europe”, Italian magazine of political sciencen. 3/1973.
M. Ridolfi, “The distinction between politics and administration in the structure and organization of the PA”, Italian magazine of Public ManagementJanuary 2019, p. 99.
M. De Benedetto, “ministerial liability and autonomy”, Public lawn.2, 1998.
C. Colapietro, “Politics and administration: reflections on the sidelines of a controversial relationship”, Parliamentary and constitutional policy studiesn. 171-172, 2011.
A. crimes, “relationship between politics and organization in the Italian public administration”, Blind.
S. Neri, “the main critical issues in the relationship between politics and administration twenty years after the” consolidated text “of the public employment”, Institutions of Federalismn. 2, 2022, PP. 467-481.
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A. Pellegrino, “The relationship between politics and administration and the limits of the Spoils System”, Diritto.it14/02/2022.
Italian Bureaucracy’s Tug-of-War: Politics vs. Governance
the Italian public administration has long been a complex arena, experiencing a constant struggle between political influence and the pursuit of autonomy and impartiality.
For centuries, Italy’s public administration has been entangled in a complex dance with political power, a relationship marked by both tension and reform.
- The Italian administrative model has historically been a direct extension of political power.
- Constitutional reforms in 1948 aimed to establish impartiality but faced ongoing challenges.
- Recent reforms have attempted to separate politics and administration, but with limited success.
The Roots of the Problem: A History of Political Influence
The Italian administrative model has evolved over time, but has consistently faced challenges of autonomy.Historically,it has been directly influenced by political power. This has shaped the culture, resulting in a system that is often hierarchical, centralized, and vulnerable to political interference. Though, the country’s regulatory and constitutional development has gradually introduced principles aimed at ensuring the administration’s independence and fairness.
The Cavour law of 1853, modeled after the French system, established a rigid, hierarchical structure. The minister held nearly absolute power, and officials served under the shadow of political leadership.
Early Attempts at Reform: A Slow Evolution
During the late 19th century, attempts were made to distance the administration from politics. These early reforms emphasized the need to strengthen management and introduce objective selection criteria. however, these efforts did not fully break the hierarchical model, which persisted through the fascist regime.
The Constitutional shift: Aiming for Impartiality
The 1948 Constitution marked a turning point. It mandated the legal establishment of public offices, selection through competition, and a commitment to good performance and impartiality. These principles contrast with personalized and politically driven management. Public officials were meant to be servants of the law and the nation, not of the political powers of the executive branch.
The 1948 Constitution introduced key principles of impartiality, but the struggle for autonomy continues to this day. This tension persists because of ambiguities in the constitution. These ambiguities reaffirm ministerial liability and allow for centralized management of ministries.
As the 90s, there has been a push to separate politics and administrative functions, with management intended to operate with technical autonomy. Performance evaluations were weak, and political influence has been persistent in appointments and removals. The management bureaucracy is more concerned with procedural compliance.
The Managerial Model: challenges and Roadblocks
The italian legislative and cultural surroundings, characterized by an overabundance of regulations and a legalistic culture, complicates the full development. This requires management to have technical skills, leadership, strategic vision, and innovation.
The spoils system, introduced in the 1990s, increased tensions between political leadership and administrative neutrality. The ability to appoint and dismiss top managers based on their relationships with the government raised constitutional concerns. The Constitutional Court intervened to curb politicization. Sentence no.103/2007 condemned the automatic “one-off” revocation of managerial positions, while no. 161/2008 reiterated the need to differentiate between political bodies and administrative structures.
Reforms over the last three decades have not resolved the tension, leading to either ineffective managerialism or defensive bureaucratism. The Italian system is currently in a precarious balance, with public management formally autonomous, but susceptible to political pressure.
Toward a Better Future: A Path Forward
To overcome this, a renewed constitutional agreement between politics and administration is needed, based on:
- Clear separation of political direction and technical management.
- Emphasis on merit and competence in selecting managers.
- An effective, obvious, and functional performance evaluation system.
- Functional autonomy for management, with guarantees.
Only through these changes can Italy build an administration that truly serves the public, implements political choices without being consumed, and defends against clientelism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main issue in the Italian public administration?
The primary issue is the ongoing struggle between political influence and the pursuit of autonomy and impartiality within the administrative system.
What was the main goal of the 1948 Constitution?
The 1948 Constitution aimed to establish principles of impartiality and merit-based selection within the public administration, although this has been a continued area of struggle.
What is the “spoils system”?
The “spoils system” refers to the practice of appointing officials based on political connections, contributing to tensions between political leadership and administrative neutrality.
What is the main challenge facing the managerial model?
The main challenge is the legislative and cultural environment, which hinders managers from fulfilling their roles properly.
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