The Legislature XII of Italy () lasted from 15 April 1994 until 8 May 1996. Its composition was the one resulting from the snap general election of 27 March 1994. The election was called by President Scalfaro, after he dissolved the houses of Parliament on 16 January 1994. This decision was connected to some major events that permanently changed the shape of Italian internal politics during the beginning of the '90s, such as Tangentopoli and the Mafia trials.
This legislature marks the beginning of the so-called "Second Republic" (), characterised by the progressive decline and dismantlement of the traditional parties, such as the Christian Democracy, the Italian Socialist Party, the Italian Communist Party, and the Italian Social Movement. It also marks the official entrance of Silvio Berlusconi in Italian politics.
This was the first legislature to apply the new majoritarian electoral system (also known as Mattarellum), which replaced the proportional system in effect since 1946.
Government Prime MinisterParty Term of office GovernmentComposition Took office Left office Silvio Berlusconi Forza Italia 10 May 1994 17 January 1995Berlusconi IFI • LN • AN • CCD • UdC Lamberto Dini Independent 17 January 1995 17 May 1996DiniIndependents
Composition
Chamber of Deputies President: Irene Pivetti (LN), elected on 16 April 1994 Vice Presidents: Luciano Violante (PDS), Adriana Poli Bortone (AN, until 25 May 1994), Lorenzo Acquarone (PPI), Vittorio Dotti (FI, until 9 November 1994), Ignazio La Russa (AN, from 25 May 1994)
+Initial composition. The official source could have an imprecision about MP Giuseppe Lazzarini, which is included in the League (which did not run in Latium) where Lazzarini, which was a member of Forza Italia, was elected.Final compositionParliamentary groupSeatsParliamentary groupSeatsChange Progressives – Federative 143 Progressives – Federative 164 21 Northern League 118 Northern League 71 47 Forza Italia 112 Forza Italia 110 2 National Alliance – MSI 109 National Alliance 105 4 Communist Refoundation – Progressives 39 Communist Refoundation – Progressives 24 15 Italian People's Party 33 Italian People's Party 27 6 Christian Democratic Centre 27 Christian Democratic Centre 42 15 Federalists and Liberal Democrats 28 28 The Democrats 21 21 Mixed 49 Mixed 36 13 Linguistic Minorities4 Linguistic Minorities4 Democratic Alliance17 17 Italian Socialist Party14 14 Segni Pact9 9 Unitarian Communists14 14 Non inscrits5The member of the Southern Action League and four former members of the Segni Pact that immediately joined Berlusconi. Non inscrits18 13Total seats 630Total seats 628 2
Senate of the Republic President: Carlo Scognamiglio Pasini (FI), elected on 16 April 1994 Vice Presidents: Carlo Rognoni (PDS), Michele Pinto (PPI), Marcello Staglieno (LN), Romano Misserville (AN)
+Initial compositionFinal compositionParliamentary groupSeatsParliamentary groupSeatsChange Progressives – Federative 76 Progressives – Federative 74 2 Northern League 60 Northern League 40 20 National Alliance – Italian Social Movement 48 National Alliance 47 1 Forza Italia 36 Forza Italia 36 Italian People's Party 34 Italian People's Party 22 12 Communist Refoundation – Progressives 18 Communist Refoundation – Progressives 14 4 Progressives – Greens – The Network 13 Progressives – Greens – The Network 7 6 Christian Democratic Centre 12 Christian Democratic Centre 15 3 Progressive – PSI 10 Labour – Socialist – Progressive 10 Crossed Shield 13 13 Democratic Left 10 10 Federalist Italian League 10 10 Mixed 19 Mixed 27 8 South Tyrolean People's Party3 South Tyrolean People's Party3 Non inscrits16Seven Senators for life, six members of the Democratic Alliance, the members of the Lega Alpina Lumbarda and Union Valdotaine, and Independent Claudio Magris. Non inscrits24 8Total seats 326Total seats 325 1
Notes
Of the 315 elected senators, 11 Senators for life were added at the beginning of the term distributed as follows: 3 from the Partito Popolare Italiano: Giulio Andreotti, Carlo Bo, Amintore Fanfani 1 from the group Progressisti – PSI: Francesco De Martino 7 with no affiliation: Gianni Agnelli, Norberto Bobbio, Francesco Cossiga, Giovanni Leone, Giovanni Spadolini (died in August 1994), Paolo Emilio Taviani, Leo Valiani
Senators for Life Senator Motivation Appointed by From TillAmintore FanfaniMerits in the social fieldPresident Giovanni LeoneGiovanni LeoneFormer president of Italy ex officioLeo ValianiMerits in the social fieldPresident Sandro PertiniCarlo BoMerits in the literary field President Sandro PertiniNorberto BobbioMerits in the social and scientific field President Sandro PertiniGiovanni SpadoliniMerits in the social field President Francesco Cossiga4 August 1994 (deceased)Gianni AgnelliMerits in the social fieldPresident Francesco CossigaGiulio AndreottiMerits in the social fieldPresident Francesco CossigaFrancesco De MartinoMerits in the social fieldPresident Francesco CossigaPaolo Emilio TavianiMerits in the social fieldPresident Francesco CossigaFrancesco CossigaFormer president of Italy ex officio
References