The Italian Republic, as it is officially known, came into being following a national referendum in 1946, which abolished the monarchy and established a democratic state. Italy is a parliamentary republic with a president as head of state and a prime minister, known as the President of the Council of Ministers, as head of government. The political structure is characterized by a bicameral parliament, with the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic holding equal powers, a system designed to ensure careful legislative deliberation but often cited as a source of political instability.
