Sicilian Regional Assembly

The Sicilian Regional Assembly is the legislative body of Sicily. While it has a long history as an autonomous entity, the modern Region of Sicily was established by Royal Decree on 15 May 1946, before the Italian Republic. The Regional Assembly has the widest legislative power in Italy and is the only regional assembly to have the title of "parliament" whose members are called "deputies" like those in Rome. Seventy deputies are elected every five years in the nine provinces.

History 

The Sicilian Parliament is arguably considered the oldest parliament in the world (together with that Icelandic and faroese, which, however, had no decision-making powers, a fact which makes the Sicilian Parliament the first in the modern sense). In 1097 came the first conference in Mazara del Vallo convened by Roger I the Great Count of a parliament initially travelling.

Since 1130 the House seat is the Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo.

The election of a democratic Parliament came at the end of World War II, when for the vast defuse separatist movement in Sicily, was granted special autonomy and was reborn, 25 May 1947, as the Sicilian Regional Assembly.  In 1997 the Assembly celebrated its 900th anniversary as the first assembly was convened in 1097. On 26 January 2008, for the first time in republican history, the Assembly is dissolved by the resignation of President Salvatore Cuffaro of the region.

Seat 
The Assembly has its seat in the prestigious Palazzo Reale in Palermo. It was constructed in the 11th century with the Norman conquest of Sicily and has seen several expansion and renovation operations. It hosted the kings of Sicily, including Frederick II of Swabia, and later the viceroy of Spain.  Adjacent is the Palatine Chapel. The tourist services in the Palace and the Palatine Chapel are entrusted to the Foundation Frederick II.

Composition 
The Assembly is composed of seventy deputies elected by direct universal suffrage every five years by voters in Sicily. Until 2017, the members were 90. From 25 May 1947 to now there were XVII legislatures, initially for a period of four years, while in 1971 five years. For the first time the XIV^ legislature ended prematurely in 2008 due to the resignation of the President of the region, Salvatore Cuffaro.
The actual electoral mechanism, which includes a barrier of 5% of the list, provide for the provincial colleges of 62 members plus the president-elect and a candidate for president most votes among the non-elect. The remaining six seats are allocated to the majority share to reach 42 members.

Political groups
The Sicilian Regional Assembly is currently composed of the following political groups:

Presidents (1947–present)

See also
Regional council (Italy)
Sicilian Parliament
List of Presidents of Sicily

References

External links

Regional
Category:1947 establishments in Italy
Category:Palazzo dei Normanni
Category:Sicilian Regional Assembly