The Council of the Valley

The Council of the Valley (Consiglio Valle) is the elected assembly of the Autonomous Region. It is, in a sense, the Aosta Valley’s parliament. With the Regional Government and the President of the Region, it is one of the three bodies set up by the Special Statute.

35 councillors elected for five years

The Council has 35 councillors. They are elected by universal, equal, direct and secret ballot for five years. A period of residence in the region, of up to one year, may be required to vote.

Being a regional councillor is incompatible with being a member of the Italian parliament, a councillor of another region or a member of the European Parliament.

What the Council does

• It passes regional laws, in the fields where the Statute gives the Region powers.
• It adopts the Region’s regulations.
• It approves the annual budget and accounts, presented by the Regional Government.
• It is consulted on any change to the Statute and appoints three of the six members of the joint commission that implements it.

The link with the regional government

How the Council, the President of the Region and the assessori (regional ministers) are elected is set by a regional law passed by an absolute majority of councillors. Since Regional Law no. 21 of 7 August 2007, the councillors elect the President and the assessori. The regional government therefore depends on the Council’s confidence.

In urgent cases the Regional Government may take a decision that belongs to the Council, but the Council must then ratify it.

Source: Special Statute for the Aosta Valley, articles 15 to 36, Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley.

Gallery photos: Tenam2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.