Abstract

The following main themes are dealt with in the text: two historic crises (in addition to others) of the concept of laity or the breaking up of the concept in Italy and France; the crisis of laity in France or the crisis of the principle within a strong constitutional and legislative model; first approach to the crisis of laity in Italy, i.e. in a legal system where the historic crisis of the principle is added to the current one; the reasons for the resumption of a debate in Italy on laity that seemed dormant; the new form of debate over laity or the multi-level nature of the new debate; principles, rules and policies in the debate over the new laity; minimal reflection on the principles; colloquy with Travi and Pinelli; colloquy with Rimoli; the legal debate over the principle of laity: first aspects and identification of the problem; on the connection of the principle of laity with other constitutional principles: two conceptions compared; the discursive framework of Rimoli; the discursive framework of Barbera; some further observations, albeit not conclusive: aiming at bringing about coherence between ordinary legislation and the constitutional principles that circumscribe the laity of the State/community