A brief lesson to explain constitutional settings and differences between Italy and India to middle school students, in a short and effective way.

1. India vs. Italy
A Constitutional comparison

2. Italy and India

3. Both states were founded in recent
years
The Italian
Republic was
born after
World War II, on
2nd June 1946

4. The Republic of India was founded on 26th
January 1950...
This was the
day when the
Constitution
entered in
force.

5. What do these two states have in
common?

6. They both are
Parliamentary
Democratic
Constitutional
Republics

7. Democratic Republic
A democratic republic is a form of state in which
the power rests with the people, who choose
those who govern them through free
elections
Through elections, people elect the
Parliament

8. Parliamentary
In a parliamentary republic, the Parliament is
the most important body of the state:
• It creates laws
• It appoints the President and the Council of
Ministers
• It controls the work of the Council of
Ministers

9. Constitutional
A constitutional state is a state in which the
government is bounded by a
constitution
The fundamental law of
the state

10. What is the use of a constitution?

11. 1.It lays down and protects
fundamental rights
• Equality before the law
• Right to vote
• Freedom of thought, speech, religion...

12. 2.It establishes the structures of the
state:
The Government, which exerts the executive
power
The power to control the execution of the laws

13. The Parliament, which exerts the legislative power
The power to make law

14. The judiciary, which exerts the judiciary power
The power to punish those who do not respect
the law

15. What is the main difference between
Italy and India?
India is a
federal state
Italy is a
unitary state

16. Unitary state
A state with only one central government
(one Parliament, one Council of Ministries, one
Judiciary)
deciding on all national matters

17. Federal state
A union of states which are united by a central
government.
The states can decide autonomously on certain
matters, but other ones (warfare, foreign
policy, money) are a competence of the central
government.
Can you tell the name of any state of India?
And the name of any other federal state in the
world?

18. Now it’s up to you!
• Why do we celebrate Republic Day?
• What is India and Italy’s form of state?
• What does the word “democracy” mean?
• What powers does the parliament exercise?
• What is a constitution and what does it
contain?
• What are the differences between an unitary
and a federal state?