ABSTRACT
This chapter examines changes in institutions: in the Constitution, in parliament, in the presidency and in subnational government. It discusses changes in the characteristics of politicians and in the nature of public policy. The chapter draws some conclusions about the impact of party-system change on the overall quality of democracy in Italy. Since institutions define the rules of the political game, their characteristics have profound implications for the distribution of political power. Therefore, as party systems change, bringing a concomitant change in the distribution of political power between contending forces, so institutional change is likely to come on to the agenda as a reflection of the new balance of power. The most important of the president's constitutionally prescribed duties are to dissolve and to convoke parliament and to appoint the prime minister and other members of the cabinet.
