Fatti di Rovereta
Encyclopedia
The fatti di Rovereta was a constitutional crisis
in San Marino
in 1957 in which the Grand and General Council
was deliberately rendered inquorate
to prevent the scheduled election of Captains-Regent. A provisional government
was established in the village of Rovereta
, in opposition to the outgoing Captains-Regent whose term had expired.
and World War II
, the 1945 general elections produced a Communist-Socialist coalition government
. In the 1955 general elections, the ruling coalition won 35 of the 60 seats in the Grand and General Council. Five moderate Socialist members of the council wanted to break the alliance with the Communists who were close to the Soviet Union
and did not condemn Soviet actions during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. They left in April 1957 to form a new party, the Sammarinese Independent Democratic Socialist Party (PSDIS). This left a perfect 30–30 split in the council that paralyzed the government. Given the deadlock, the Captains-Regent avoided convening the council until the mandatory 19 September regency election to choose their replacements.
by making their councilors sign letters of resignation
after each election, with the date left blank. The party chiefs submitted to the regency all 35 letters, including the six who left their parties, with the date of 19 September. With the majority of seats vacant in the council there was no quorum
, so the regency dissolved the council until new general elections could be held on 3 November. But because the council did not elect a new regency, the status of the sitting regency would be uncertain once their terms expired on 1 October, causing a constitutional crisis
. The regency ordered the Gendarmerie to seal off the Palazzo Pubblico
, preventing any councilors from entering. The opposition was in an uproar as the six defectors claimed their resignations were invalid and what transpired was a coup. On 30 September, opposition councilors occupied an abandoned factory in the town of Rovereta, Serravalle on the Italian border. At the stroke of midnight when the regency should have expired, the councilors declared a provisional government
.
protected the three sides of the factory that sat in their territory. The regency organized a militia of supporters and weapons flowed in from Italy to both sides. On 11 October, the regency caved in and recognized the provisional government, ending the crisis. The new government elected a new regency. One of its acts was to provide for women's suffrage
. General elections were held in 1959, confirming the victory of the PSDIS-Christian Democrat coalition.
Constitutional crisis
A constitutional crisis is a situation that the legal system's constitution or other basic principles of operation appear unable to resolve; it often results in a breakdown in the orderly operation of government...
in San Marino
San Marino
San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino , is a state situated on the Italian Peninsula on the eastern side of the Apennine Mountains. It is an enclave surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over with an estimated population of over 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino...
in 1957 in which the Grand and General Council
Grand and General Council
The Grand and General Council is the parliament of San Marino. The council has 60 members elected for a five-year term.The electoral law was based on proportional representation from 1945 to 2007. Since then, it is based on the electoral system of Italian municipalities...
was deliberately rendered inquorate
Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group...
to prevent the scheduled election of Captains-Regent. A provisional government
Provisional government
A provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a very large government. The early provisional governments were created to prepare for the return of royal rule...
was established in the village of Rovereta
Rovereta
Rovereta is a village located in San Marino. It belongs to the municipality of Serravalle. Its name, in Italian language, refers to a wood of "Sessile Oaks".-History:...
, in opposition to the outgoing Captains-Regent whose term had expired.
Background
Following the end of the fascist governmentSammarinese Fascist Party
The Sammarinese Fascist Party or Partito Fascista Sammarinese was a fascist political party that ruled San Marino from 1923 to 1943....
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the 1945 general elections produced a Communist-Socialist coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
. In the 1955 general elections, the ruling coalition won 35 of the 60 seats in the Grand and General Council. Five moderate Socialist members of the council wanted to break the alliance with the Communists who were close to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and did not condemn Soviet actions during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. They left in April 1957 to form a new party, the Sammarinese Independent Democratic Socialist Party (PSDIS). This left a perfect 30–30 split in the council that paralyzed the government. Given the deadlock, the Captains-Regent avoided convening the council until the mandatory 19 September regency election to choose their replacements.
Crisis
A day before the election, one Communist councilor became an independent and joined the opposition, giving them the majority. However it was the practice of the Socialist and Communist parties to enforce party disciplineParty discipline
Party discipline is the ability of a parliamentary group of a political party to get its members to support the policies of their party leadership. In liberal democracies, it usually refers to the control that party leaders have over its legislature...
by making their councilors sign letters of resignation
Letter of resignation
A letter of resignation is written to announce the author's intent to leave a position currently held, such as an office, employment or commission....
after each election, with the date left blank. The party chiefs submitted to the regency all 35 letters, including the six who left their parties, with the date of 19 September. With the majority of seats vacant in the council there was no quorum
Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group...
, so the regency dissolved the council until new general elections could be held on 3 November. But because the council did not elect a new regency, the status of the sitting regency would be uncertain once their terms expired on 1 October, causing a constitutional crisis
Constitutional crisis
A constitutional crisis is a situation that the legal system's constitution or other basic principles of operation appear unable to resolve; it often results in a breakdown in the orderly operation of government...
. The regency ordered the Gendarmerie to seal off the Palazzo Pubblico
Palazzo Pubblico (San Marino)
The Palazzo Pubblico is the town hall of the City of San Marino as well as its official Government Building. The building, where official State ceremonies take place, is the seat of the Republic's main institutional and administrative bodies: the Captains Regent, the Grand and General Council, the...
, preventing any councilors from entering. The opposition was in an uproar as the six defectors claimed their resignations were invalid and what transpired was a coup. On 30 September, opposition councilors occupied an abandoned factory in the town of Rovereta, Serravalle on the Italian border. At the stroke of midnight when the regency should have expired, the councilors declared a provisional government
Provisional government
A provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a very large government. The early provisional governments were created to prepare for the return of royal rule...
.
Resolution
Italy recognized the provisional government and Italian CarabinieriCarabinieri
The Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
protected the three sides of the factory that sat in their territory. The regency organized a militia of supporters and weapons flowed in from Italy to both sides. On 11 October, the regency caved in and recognized the provisional government, ending the crisis. The new government elected a new regency. One of its acts was to provide for women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
. General elections were held in 1959, confirming the victory of the PSDIS-Christian Democrat coalition.