ITALIAN CONSTITUTION
46 - 60

Article 46 [Workers' Participation]
In order to achieve the economic and social enhancement of labor and in accordance with the requirements of production, the republic recognizes the right of workers to collaborate, within the forms and limits defined by law, in the management of companies.

Article 47 [Savings]
(1) The republic encourages and protects savings in all its forms, regulates, coordinates and controls the provision of credit. (2) It favors access savings for the purchase of homes, for worker-owned farms, and for direct or indirect investment in shares of the country's large productive enterprises.

Title IV Political Rights
Article 48 [Voting Rights]
(1) All citizens, men or women, who have attained their majority are entitled to vote. (2) Voting is personal, equal, free, and secret. Its exercise is a civic duty. (3) The law defines the conditions under which the citizens residing abroad effectively exercise their electoral right. To this end, a constituency of italians abroad is established for the election of the Chambers, to which a fixed number of seats is assigned by constitutional law in accordance with criteria determined by law. (4) The right to vote may not be limited except for incapacity, as a consequence of an irrevocable criminal sentence, or in cases of moral unworthiness established by law.

Article 49 [Political Parties]
All citizens have the right to freely associate in political parties in order to contribute by democratic methods to determine national policy.

Article 50 [Petitions]
All citizens may address petitions to the Chambers demanding legislative measures or presenting general needs.

Article 51 [Public Offices]
(1) Citizens of one or the other sex are eligible for public office and for elective positions under equal conditions, according to the rules established by law. To this end, the republic adopts specific measures in order to promote equal chances for men and women. (2) The law may, regarding their right to be selected for public positions and elective offices, grant to those italians who do not belong to the republic the same opportunities as citizens. (3) Anyone elected to public office is entitled to the time necessary for the fulfillment of the respective duties while keeping his or her job.

Article 52 [Military Service]
(1) The defense of the fatherland is the sacred duty of every citizen. (2) Military service is compulsory within the limits and under the terms of the law. The fulfillment of military duties may not prejudice a citizen's position as an employee, nor the exercise of his political rights. (3) The rules about armed forces must conform to the democratic spirit of the republic.

Article 53 [Taxation]
(1) Everyone has to contribute to public expenditure in proportion to their capacity. (2) The tax system has to conform to the principle of progression.

Article 54 [Loyalty to the Constitution]
(1) All citizens have the duty to be loyal to the republic and to observe the constitution and the laws. (2) Citizens entrusted with public functions must perform them with discipline and honor, and take an oath of office where required by law.

Part II Organization of the Republic
Title I Parliament
Section I The Two Chambers
Article 55 [Parliament]
(1) The parliament consists of the House of Representatives and the senate. (2) The parliament holds joint session only in cases defined by the constitution.

Article 56 [The House of Representatives]
(1) The house of representatives is elected by universal and direct suffrage. (2) The number of representatives is six hundred and thirty, of which twelve are elected by the constituency of italians abroad. (3) Eligible are voters who have reached the age of twenty-five on election day. (4) Having set aside the seats assigned to the constituency of italians abroad, the distribution of seats among the constituencies is calculated by dividing the population of the last general census by six hundred and eighteen, and distributing the seats in proportion to the population of each constituency, based on the quotients and the largest remainders.

Article 57 [The Senate]
(1) The senate is elected on a regional basis except for the seats assigned to the constituency of italians abroad. (2) Three hundred and fifteen senators are elected, of which six are elected by the constituency of italians abroad. (3) No Region shall have fewer than seven senators; Molise has two senators and the Aosta Valley one. (4) Having set aside the seats assigned to the constituency of italiens abroad, the distribution of seats among the regions is calculated proportionally to the population of the last general census, based on the quotients and the largest remainders.

Article 58 [Elections for the Senate]
(1) Senators are elected universally and directly by voters older than twenty-five years. (2) Voters older than forty years are eligible to the senate.

Article 59 [Senators for Life]
(1) Anyone who was president of the republic is a senator for life unless waiving this privilege. (2) The president may appoint as senators for life five citizens who have brought honor to the nation through their exceptional accomplishments in the social, scientific, artistic, and literary fields.

Article 60 [Term]
(1) The house of representatives and the senate are elected for five years. (2) The term of each chamber may not be extended except by law and only in the case of war.

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