Magistrates in the Italian Parliament: the presence and the role of magistrates in both houses during the liberal age

This article examines the presence and the role of the magistrates who sat in both chambers of the Italian Parliament during the Liberal Age starting from the period before the unification, and in particular from the granting of the constitution in 1848 by Carlo Alberto, king of Sardinia. The role and presence of magistrates depended on the different features of the two chambers, the elective Chamber and the Senate. Their presence was generally considered inappropriate in the elective chamber (electoral law established increasingly strict limits). It was adequate in the upper chamber, whose members were chosen by the king from 21 categories of people with specific characteristics. Six of these categories addressed the upper ranks of magistracy directly. During the nineteenth century the magistrates played a remarkable role, especially in the upper chamber, although by the end of the century their involvement in politics was on the decrease.