The procedure for electing the President of the Republic is established by the Constitution and by a series of practices that have stabilized over time.
Thirty days before the end of the mandate of the Head of State, says article 85 of the Constitution, "the President of the Chamber of Deputies convenes the Parliament and the regional delegates in joint session to elect the new President of the Republic".
Mattarella's mandate expires on February 3 (he was sworn in on that day in 2015), so
on January 3 Roberto Fico will convene the Parliament in joint session
.
According to established practice, this session takes place 15-20 days later, to allow the regional councils to elect their three delegates.
FROM DE NICOLA TO MATTARELLA, ALL VOTES
Therefore, President Fico
could call the session for January 18-20
.
According to some observers,
the convocation could take place on January 22
, that is a Saturday;
this is to grant a day of settling if the first ballot is reached without a name that has the absolute majority required by the fourth ballot.
THE 1007 GREAT VOTERS, THE MAJORITIES IN THE FIELD
Once the Parliament and the regional delegates have elected the President of the Republic (
with two thirds of the votes in the first three ballots, and with only an absolute majority from the fourth
), the minutes of the elections are drawn up which the President of the Chamber, accompanied by the president of the Senate, communicates to the newly elected.
THE ESTABLISHMENT SPEECH, THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT CARD
Seven years ago Laura Boldrini communicated her election to Mattarella at the Constitutional Court, given that the new President was a judge of the Council.
At that point, the current President of the Republic resigns as a rule, if his mandate has not yet ended.
If the latter has passed, the general principle of "prorogatio" applies, ie the President remains in office until the election of his successor.
The Constitution does not indicate certain times between the election and the swearing in before the Parliament in joint session.
They range from the 12 days that passed from the election to the oath for Giovanni Gronchi, to the only day that served for Sandro Pertini or Saragat.
Matterella was elected on January 31, 2015 and was sworn in on February 3.
WHAT IF IT WAS A WOMAN? STORY OF A LONG RUNNING