Italy is a multi-party parliamentary democratic republic. The country is a founding member of the European Union, a member of the Council of Europe, the UN, the OECD, NATO and the WTO.

The President of the Republic is the Head of State. He is chosen by Parliament in a joint meeting of both Houses, by secret vote and with a two-thirds majority. He has a mandate for seven years. According to Article 88 of the Italian Constitution, he may dissolve Parliament, whether it be both Houses or only one of them. Ex-presidents are Senators for Life (Senatore a vita). The President may name five Senators for Life among public figures in science, culture, literature or the arts. Giorgio Napolitano has held the post since May 2006.

The government is presided over by the Prime Minister or President of the Council of Ministers. S/he is appointed by the President of the Republic, taking into consideration the result of the general elections. The Council exercises executive power. Silvio Berlusconi has been the Prime Minister since May 2008. He is the leader of the PdL (il Popolo della Liberta), a right-wing coalition currently formed by Forza Italia, a party founded by Berlusconi when he entered politics, and the Northern League, an ultra nationalist party. The UDC, of Christian-democratic orientation, and the National Alliance, from the post-fascist right-wing, abandoned the coalition due to differences with the Prime Minister.

The Parliament of the Italian Republic is made up of the House of Deputies and the Senate, which have the same power and which are elected directly by universal suffrage for a mandate of five years. The governments must have majority support in both Houses of Parliament to remain in post. The House of Deputies has 630 members, 12 represent Italians who live abroad. The Senate has 321 seats; six are reserved for Italians who live abroad. In the elections of 2008, 59 women were elected to the Senate, which represents 18.40% of the total number and 134 deputies (21.30%)
Judicial power is independent. The Constitutional Court is the highest judicial body in the country. The president of the Court is appointed by the President of the Republic, as are a third of its members. The other members are appointed in the following way: a third by Parliament and the final third by small administrative courts.

The centre-right coalition governing Italy since 2008 has suffered a steep decline in 2010 and 2011 in particular due to the behaviour of the Prime Minister, who is too focused on ensuring that the numerous lawsuits initiated against him do not culminate in a conviction. The main PdL parliamentary activity has been to approve laws "ad personam" that would resolve its leader's legal problems. Berlusconi is subject to prosecution due to having committed alleged crimes such as: corruption of magistrates, falsification of balance sheets, dubious relationships with criminal organisations, misappropriation of public funds, and more recently, corruption of minors and incitement to prostitution. The Italian Premier, who made his fortune in the real estate sector, is the owner of a large media complex (TV, radio, newspapers and magazines) and AC Milan, one of the main football clubs, among other pursuits. He has been repeatedly condemned for conflict of interests between his business activities and his political position. One of the most disturbing aspects of his political action is the attempt to amend the Italian Constitution regressively (product of a long consensus following World War II and the fall of fascism) and of reforming the judicial system so that politicians cannot be reached by the long arm of the law. His confrontation with the magistrature has reached high levels of aggression. In the latest municipal and regional elections held in May 2011, the governing coalition was defeated and very important cities like Milan and Naples came to be governed by the centre-left opposition.

Discrimination for reasons of race, sex, ethnic origin or political opinion is illegal. The law provides levels of protection against discrimination based on disability, language or social status, but there is still social discrimination against women, disabled people and the Roma minority. In 2010 and 2011, very violent incidents were recorded against the immigrant population from Eastern Europe, (Romanians in particular), the Balkans, the Maghreb and sub-Saharian Africa.

Since the outbreak of revolts against the dictatorships in North Africa (Tunisia, Egypt) and against the government of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, huge numbers of refugees have arrived on the Italian coasts, and in particular, due to its proximity, thousands of people were stranded on the Italian Island of Lampedusa (Sicily) in very precarious conditions according to a report from Amnesty International of March 2011. The AI team stressed that many of the people on Lampedusa had not received basic humanitarian assistance, like shelter, medical attention, blankets and access to toilets, while thousands of people were still sleeping outside. In his visit to the island, Silvio Berlusconi promised "to clean up Lampedusa in 48-60 hours." Immediately afterwards, confronted by resistance from some cities and regions to receive some of the refugees, the Italian government proceeded to grant temporary permits, which allowed them to move around the Schengen Area. This measure provoked fierce criticism, particularly from neighbouring France.

In April 2011, more than 220 refugees from Somalia, Eritrea and Ivory Coast drowned when their boat capsized some 39 nautical miles south of the Italian island of Lampedusa. This is the worst incident of its kind in the Mediterranean in recent years. Human Rights organisations strongly criticised this incident, the castaways did not receive help from the Italian Coastguard Service, or from planes and the Basque members of NATO who permanently patrol the area.

The media express a wide variety of political opinions. Access to the Internet is not restricted, but the government has obtained legal authorisation to block foreign Internet servers due to a report which accuses them of insistently sending misleading advertising on a massive scale. The judges are not the only victims of organised criminal networks such as the Cosa Nostra, the Camorra, the N'drangheta and the Sacra Corona Unita. Journalists and writers are also in the line of fire when they attempt to report on the Italian mafia. Roberto Saviano, author of the book "Gomorra," is obliged to live under permanent police protection and cannot return to his home town of Naples. A dozen journalists work with police protection. There have been hundreds of threats, anonymous letters, slashed tyres and burnt cars. Every journalist who has written about these criminal groups has been threatened at some point. Lirio Abbate, correspondent in Palermo for the News Agency Ansa and author of Complici (The Accomplices), also lives under permanent police protection, as does (since March 2008) Rosaria Capacchione, who has covered issues related to the Camorra for Il Mattino, the main newspaper in Naples, for over twenty years. Her work does not receive support from the Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who, in November 2009, said that he would like to "strangle" writers and film makers who give Italy a bad image, when talking about the mafia.

The country is a destination and transit point for women and children who are the victims of people trafficking for sexual exploitation purposes. Child pornography via the Internet is the objective of special police units that monitor websites in search of child pornography and related crimes. Child trafficking for labour exploitation purposes is a real problem among the growing Chinese immigrant community, where the children are considered part of the family production unit.

Education is free and compulsory between 7 and 18 years old. From 15 years old, pupils may take a professional training course. Educational reforms have been introduced to reverse the drop-out rate. For a long time the traditional French, German and Slovenian minorities in the north of Italy have enjoyed a semi-autonomous status; their children may study in their respective languages in state schools. Although there is no state religion, the Lateranensi Pacts, signed in Mussolini's time with the Catholic Church, are still in force. These enable religion teachers to be selected, whose salaries are paid by the State. The influence of the Catholic Church in education is omnipresent.

A 3-year programme begins at age 3. At this level, 31% of education is private. The net enrolment rate (NER) is 99%. There are 134,231 ECE teachers (99% female). The pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 12: 1.

Education is compulsory between 6 and 18 years old. Primary education begins at age 6 and lasts for five years. The NER is 98% (47% girls). Of the students enrolled in the first year course, 96% reach the last primary education course. 2% of students retake a course. There are 170,731 primary school teachers (50% female) of whom, 98% have received proper training. The PTR is 27: 1.

Secondary education begins at age 12 and lasts for six years. 35% of secondary school students take technical training courses. The NER is 89%. 2% of students retake a course. There are 428,177 secondary school educators, 178,872 (75% female) in the lowest courses and 249,305 (58% female) in the highest courses. The PTR is 10: 1 in lower secondary and 12: 1 in upper secondary education.

1,986,497 pupils (56% women) study at further education centres, with a gross enrolment rate of 63%. At this level, 6% of education is private, 40,631 foreign students study in Italy, predominantly from Central and Eastern Europe (15,791), US and Western Europe (14,429), Latin America and the Caribbean (3,285), sub-Saharan Africa (2,363), Arab Countries (2,227) and Asia (2,163). At the same time, 38,644 Italian students study abroad, specifically in Germany (8,111), Austria (6,419), United Kingdom (5,215), France (4,686) and the Holy See (4,103).

Disabled children are completely integrated into regular classes and benefit from the assistance of a specialised teacher. It is forbidden to discriminate against disabled people in education and other public services. Companies that employ 15 or more staff are obliged to contract disabled employees and receive subsidies in exchange. The most recent measures adopted by the Ministry of Education have led to a reduction in the number of assistants supporting teachers who have pupils living with some disability, which contributes to the deterioration in the quality of the educational service provided.

The law stipulates granting asylum or refugee status in accordance with the UN 1951 Convention on Refugee Status and its Protocol of 1967.

However, asylum applicants are still seeing their rights reduced, especially access to a fair and satisfactory asylum process. The authorities do not protect them properly from the racial violence of extremist groups, and they spread messages about alleged links between migrants and delinquency, which has increased a climate of intolerance and xenophobia. UNHCR, the UN Agency for Refugees and Human Rights organisations continue to express their concern for the procedures set in motion by the Italian government to control hundreds of asylum applicants, including many children, who are denied access to international protection.

The National Office against Racial and Ethnic Discrimination offers some legal aid. The unemployment rate among immigrants is very high. The traditional French and German speaking alpine communities and the Slovenian speaking minorities enjoy a special status which includes the use of their language in official departments and state schools. The Roma minority, on the other hand, survive in camps with inadequate housing and unhygienic sanitary conditions, with few limited prospects of employment, inappropriate schools and scarce opportunities for acquiring an income. Forced evictions of the Roma people have continued throughout the country. Some families suffered repeated evictions which affected their access to work and made it impossible for many children to attend school.

At present, due to the tightening of migratory legislation and in particular the policies driven by the Northern League, member of the governing coalition, which is known for its rejection of the migrant population, a stance which on many occasions has touched on xenophobic, the situation of ethnic minorities in Italy has deteriorated and the chances of accessing the enjoyment of their rights to education, housing, health and employment have decreased. Contemptuous comments from some politicians and representatives from different authorities help to foment a climate of intolerance towards the Roma, migrants, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual people.

The reports do not indicate restrictions on academic freedom. However, there have been public requests for Human Rights Watch to study academic freedom in the universities of Italy, pointing out the existence of endemic corruption in the Italian university system, including the appointment of permanent posts.

The law recognises the same rights to men and women in marriage, property and succession, as well as in access to education, health and other public services. However, Italy is one of the most backward countries in Europe in almost all gender equality indicators. This is in spite of the fact that in terms of advanced studies and qualifications, women exceed men and, in the last 30 years, they have reached important positions in all sectors. The difference in income between men and women has decreased, but university-educated women still earn less than men with the same degrees and diplomas. Women are not sufficiently represented in managerial roles, companies and the liberal professions. Sexual violence against women and children is still a problem.

In accordance with the latest Global Report on the gender gap from the World Economic Forum, Italy occupied 74th place within the 134 countries studied: 33 places below Kazakhstan. Italy is particularly low down in the participation and economic opportunities for women. The idea that a woman must not return to a paid job after having a child is still very widespread.

The law prohibits employing minors under 15 years old. Certain limitations concerning dangerous work for male children under the age of 18 years old and female children under 21 years old are regulated, but they are not usually respected. The problems of child labour are object of a study from a tripartite committee formed by government, unions and employers. Child protection is difficult to regulate in the informal economy. According to calculations, around 400,000 minors work sporadically, while another 70,000 work at least four hours a day. The National Institute of Statistics shows that some 31,500 children, many of them under 14 years old, work in family businesses. A large number of underage undocumented immigrants enter the country and currently receive little protection.

Workers have the right to associate and form unions, which currently represent 35% - 40% of the working population. Collective bargaining is used generally, and more than 35% of workers are covered by collective agreements. The right to strike is permitted and respected. Basic services strikes are governed by different norms. Notice must be given as far in advance as possible and a lot of strikes are ruled out. Forced or obligatory work is illegal but it occurs. The reports show that it has specifically increased on two fronts: on the one hand, women and child victims of people trafficking are made to participate in organised networks of beggars; conversely, the sphere of production has gone from contracting employees to paying per work unit (piece work), a practice which increasingly subjects the couple and the children to a family production unit whose members do not earn individually. The minimum salaries are established via collective bargaining per sector. The working week is 40 hours.

In December 2010, the FIAT-Mirfiori of Turin Company agreement was signed, seriously damaging the Italian Workers Statute and gravely limiting union representation. In fact it restricts the right to establish union representation in the company, only for those organisations that have signed the agreement.

State of World Population 2010. "From conflicts and crises towards renewal: generations of change" UNFPA, November 2010, www.unfpa.org (Spanish)

Women in National Parliaments, World Classification, Inter-Parliamentary Union, 30 April 2011, www.ipu.org

Amnesty International, 30 March 2011, www.amnesty.org

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR calls on States to uphold principles of rescue-at-sea and burden sharing, 8 April 2011, available at: http://www.unhcr.org

Reporters Without Borders, Predators of Press Freedom: Italy - Organised crime, 3 May 2011, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid

Amnesty International, Amnesty International Annual Report 2011 - Italy, 13 May 2011, www.amnesty.org