The definitive green light that transforms the reform of the provinces into law has come from the Chamber. Montecitorio, with 260 yes, 158 no and 7 abstentions, approved the Delrio bill on metropolitan cities, provinces, unions and mergers of municipalities. The votes in favor came from Pd, Nuovo Centro-Red, Civic Choice and Popolari for Italy. Against Forza Italia, Movimento 5 Stelle, Lega Nord, SEL and Fratelli d'Italia.
The provision modifies the structure of local authorities, pending the reform of Title V of the Constitution. Metropolitan cities and vast areas are born, i.e. mergers of municipalities: they will be responsible for the tasks currently covered by the provinces.
There were no changes to the text approved, with some more difficulties, on March 26 in the Senate. On Wednesday 3 April the constitutionality rulings presented by Movimento 5 Stelle, Forza Italia and Lega were rejected. Given the final approval of the bill, the provincial elections that should have been held in May in 52 provinces will not take place.
With the new law, the provincial councils and councils will be abolished and replaced by assemblies of mayors from the territory of the old province (therefore there will be no more elections, provincial presidents, provincial councils and assemblies). The functions of this new assembly cover areas that the provinces were previously responsible for, such as roads.
The bill also provides for the establishment of metropolitan cities that will replace the provinces from 2014 January XNUMX and new rules for the merger of municipalities. Although the word "abolition" circulates a lot, the Delrio bill is not enough to abolish the provinces, but reviews the functions and responsibilities of the provincial bodies in view of a future suppression for which a modification of the Constitution is necessary.
In place of the provinces, metropolitan cities will be established in the largest centres. It will happen in Turin, Milan, Venice, Genoa, Bologna, Florence, Naples, Bari, Reggio Calabria, to which is added Rome Capital to which a separate chapter of the provision is dedicated given its status as capital. To these are added the metropolitan cities established in accordance with their special autonomy by the regions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sicily, Sardinia, i.e. Trieste, Palermo, Catania, Messina, Cagliari.
The metropolitan cities will govern the territory of the old corresponding provinces and will have the following functions: adoption and annual updating of the three-year strategic plan of the metropolitan territory; general territorial planning including communication structures, service networks and infrastructures "belonging to the competence" of the metropolitan city; structuring of coordinated management systems for public services, as well as organization of public services of general interest in the metropolitan area; mobility and viability; promotion and coordination of economic and social development; promotion and coordination of computerization and digitization systems.
