San Marino

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Small landlocked country within northeast Italy.

Government
San Marino has a multiparty, parliamentary political system. It has a single-chamber legislature, the Great and General Council, comprising 60 members, elected by universal suffrage, through a system of proportional representation in all nine administrative districts, for a five-year term. The Council elects two of its members, from opposing parties, to serve six-month periods as captains-regent. Together they share the duties of head of state and head of government. They preside over a cabinet of ten, elected by the Council for a five-year term, called the Congress of State.

The country is divided into nine municipalities or ‘castles’, which correspond to the original nine parishes of the republic. Each castle is governed by a castle captain and an auxiliary council, both serving a one-year term.

History
San Marino claims to be the world's oldest republic, founded by St Marinus of Rab (an island in the Adriatic) in 301. It was the only city-state to remain after the unification of Italy in the 19th century. It has had a treaty of friendship with Italy since 1862. It remained neutral during World War II and between 1945–57 had the world's first democratically-elected communist government. However, women had no vote until 1960.

San Marino's multiparty system mirrors that of the larger country that surrounds it. Since about 1950 it has been governed by a series of left-wing coalitions; the ‘grand coalition’, comprising the Communists (PCS) and Christian Democrats (PDCS), was formed in July 1986. The PCS changed its name to the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) in 1990 and to the Party of Democrats (PD) in 2001. The PDCS withdrew from the coalition in 1992 and formed an alliance with the Socialist Party (PSS). In October 1998, the ruling PDCS-PSS coalition government remained in power after a general election. In 2005 the PSS merged with the PD to form the Party of Socialists and Democrats (PSD).

San Marino became a member of the United Nations in 1992 but is not a member of the European Union.

Red and white are traditional colours in South East Asia. Red represents universal fellowship and equality. White stands for purity and virtue. Effective date: 3 December 1959. >>