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Power-Sharing in Europe pp 171–199Cite as

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South Tyrol’s Model of Conflict Resolution: Territorial Autonomy and Power-Sharing

Part of the Federalism and Internal Conflicts book series (FEINCO)

Abstract

This chapter examines South Tyrol’s power-sharing system by pointing to its origins and creation, by offering an essential account as to how it plays out today, and by assessing it in the context of Italian regionalism. South Tyrol’s power-sharing system shows how asymmetry in constitutional design contributes to successfully settle a minority-related conflict. However, it also exemplifies how a territory effectively builds its subnational governance by sharing powers both horizontally (between language groups in South Tyrol, and as an autonomous province within the special region Trentino-South Tyrol) and vertically (between South Tyrol as the northernmost part of Italy and central authorities in Rome). The chapter concludes by arguing that trust, time, and adaptability are the three keys of success in creating, implementing and enhancing South Tyrol’s model of conflict resolution.

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Map 8.1

Notes

  1. 1.

    See Parolari and Zwilling (2018) for a selected bibliography of publications on the case.

  2. 2.

    The smallest (and oldest) language group present in South Tyrol, the Ladin, is technically not covered by the Agreement. The interests of the Ladin-speakers have been traditionally put forward by the German-speakers and by their most representative party, the South Tyrolean People’s Party (SVP ).

  3. 3.

    Adopted with constitutional law no. 5 of 26 February 1948.

  4. 4.

    UN resolutions no. 1497 (XV) and no. 1661 (XVI), respectively issued in 1960 and in 1961.

  5. 5.

    The Second ASt was adopted by constitutional law no. 1 of 10 November 1971.

  6. 6.

    For a full account of the scope of South Tyrol’s territorial autonomy see Obwexer and Happacher (2015).

  7. 7.

    It has to be noted that formally the Commission of Six is part of the Commission of Twelve, which deals with competence-transfers from the central to the regional level. Thus, the political landscape in the autonomous province of Trento and the relations between the political elites in Trentino and South Tyrol are of relevance for the functioning of the Commission of Six and ultimately vertical power-sharing between Rome and South Tyrol.

  8. 8.

    According to art. 48 of the Second ASt, for the first half of a legislature, the president of the provincial parliament is elected from among the members of the German language group, and for the second half from among those of the Italian language group, with the vice-presidents always elected from among the members belonging to linguistic groups different from that of the president. Moreover, with the agreement of the majority of the members of the German or Italian language group, a member of the Ladin language group can also be elected president for the respective period.

  9. 9.

    For details on the composition of power-sharing executives in South Tyrol see Panzano (2018: 156–160).

  10. 10.

    The declaration may also be made by persons aged between 14 and 18 years.

  11. 11.

    Angonese v. Cassa di Risparmio di Bolzano SpA, Judgment of 6 June 2000, C-281/98, EU:C:2000:296.

  12. 12.

    Friuli-Venezia Giulia was established only in 1963 because of the international regime on the area of Trieste until 1954.

  13. 13.

    They are adopted and amended by a regional law approved by the regional parliament with an absolute majority of its members with two subsequent deliberations at an interval of not less than two months and a possible regional referendum (art. 123 of the ItConst). This gives them a higher status in the hierarchy of norms compared to other regional legislation.

  14. 14.

    The statutes of special regions are adopted by the national parliament according to the special procedure laid down in the statute of each special region (with the exception of the financial provisions that may be amended by an ordinary State law after an agreement between the State and the special region/two autonomous provinces). According to art. 138 of the ItConst, constitutional laws shall be adopted by each chamber after two successive debates at intervals of not less than three months, and they shall be approved by an absolute majority of the members of each chamber at the second vote. Unlike other constitutional laws, amendments to the statutes of the special regions shall not be in any event subject to a national referendum (for South Tyrol see art. 103 of the Second ASt). Providing one would jeopardize the rationale of the principles of speciality and bilateralism between special regions and the State, and in case of South Tyrol the whole machinery of minority protection.

  15. 15.

    Article 10 of constitutional law no. 3/2001 provided for the application of the reform to the special regions and the autonomous provinces Trento and Bolzano/Bozen, insofar as this results in a higher degree of autonomy. This results in difficult questions of interpretation.

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  1. Institute for Comparative Federalism—EURAC, Bolzano, Italy

    Elisabeth Alber

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  1. School of Law, Policing and Social Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, UK

    Dr. Soeren Keil

  2. Department of Political Science, Brandon University, Brandon, MB, Canada

    Dr. Allison McCulloch

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Alber, E. (2021). South Tyrol’s Model of Conflict Resolution: Territorial Autonomy and Power-Sharing. In: Keil, S., McCulloch, A. (eds) Power-Sharing in Europe. Federalism and Internal Conflicts. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53590-2_8

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