ABSTRACT
The regioni do, however, possess certain unusual powers to influence the national authorities. For example, individual regional councils can initiate legislation in the national parliament, which can bring regional issues to national attention. Perhaps most unusually, the presidents of the special regions may attend the meetings of the Council of Ministers to state their region’s case. The Sicilian president may even vote and has the rank of minister in the national government (King, 1987). In practice, however, these powers are of little importance. They are rarely used and the national government does not encourage their application (Zariski, 1987, p 103).
