The Italian constitutional reform of 2016: an 'exercise' of change at the crossroad between constitutional maintenance and innovation

The essay analyses the Italian Constitutional Reform of 2016, starting from provisions concerning the frame of government and specifically the overcoming of the Italian model of ‘perfect bicameralism’. The essay then explores the reform of the relationships between the State and the Regions, which were successfully reorganised in 2001 but still occupy the most significant part of the Constitutional Court litigation load. The last part of the analysis is devoted to the provisions amending the Italian system of Constitutional adjudication and specifically to the introduction of a form of contrôle préventif on electoral laws. Finally, the Author provides some conclusions about the 2016 reform as an example of ‘manutenzione costituzionale’.