ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the intellectual history of Italian regionalism, with particular emphasis on the regional model emerged with the 1948 constitution and on the 2001 reform of Title V and subsequent amendments. Throughout the nineteenth century, federalism was still a quite novel idea in Europe since, across the continent, the ideals of the French Revolution contributed to reinforce the image of a state characterised by a strong central government and administration that allowed the regime to dominate politics, thus defying all ideas of dispersion of powers espoused by federalism. The Constituent Assembly was rife with towering constitutional scholars and statesmen who would leave an indelible imprint on Italian and comparative constitutionalism. The expression “regional state” was coined by Gaspare Ambrosini, a jurist, statesman, professor of constitutional law, and member of the Constituent Assembly. Ambrosini was opposed to a federal solution for Italy mainly because it would entail the elevation of regions to “member states” of the federation.
