Abstract

This article investigates the measures adopted by the Italian Parliament to cope with the operational difficulties born out of the pandemic. The article also analyzes measures that were not adopted but could have been, in particular measures to enable remote (online) participation in parliamentary work and voting, as introduced by other national parliaments. The stress test to which parliamentary institutions and procedures have been subjected manifests and in turn aggravates the preexisting weakness and marginality of the chambers. Removing the structural causes of such weakness and marginality, by reviewing both chambers’ internal standing orders, is today urgent.