Abstract

The work aims at exploring the background of the process of administrative decentralization which occurred – at different stages – in Italy, because it is showing all its weaknesses during these times of Covid-19 crisis. Using both a legal and economic approach, the discussion retraces the justification for the devolution of both political and fiscal power to lower tiers of government. Particular attention is devoted to the reform of Title V of the Italian Constitution (passed in 2001), and to related effects on the provision of essential levels of health assistance (and other tasks subject to devolution according to the Constitution) as well as to the investment framework set by the European Union as the main tool of its regional policy. Conclusions underline that the implementation of differentiated and/or strengthened regional decentralization in Italy is far from being successfully ended and remains highly troublesome.