by InTrieste
Italy’s Constitutional Court has blocked a law from the Autonomous Province of Trento that sought to allow its president to serve a third consecutive term, ruling that such a change can only be made at the national level.
The provincial measure, which also extended the maximum time in office from 48 to 72 months, was challenged by the national government. The Court found the law unconstitutional, stating that the two-term limit for directly elected regional and provincial presidents is a fundamental principle of the Italian system and applies even to regions and provinces with special autonomy. The written ruling is expected in the coming days.
Reaction from Friuli Venezia Giulia
Massimiliano Fedriga, president of Friuli Venezia Giulia and a leading advocate for changing term limits, emphasized that the Court did not rule out a third term outright. Instead, he said while talking to the journalists on Thursday, it clarified that only Parliament can authorize such a reform.
Fedriga argued that limiting terms restricts voters’ ability to choose their leaders, calling it “singular” that directly elected regional presidents face limits while some unelected positions do not. He said he remains open to a political agreement to change the law after upcoming regional elections in Campania and Veneto.
“For us, nothing changes,” he said. “My position remains the same.”
The decision preserves the current two-term limit for regional and provincial presidents across Italy unless national legislation formally revises it.
