Abstract
This chapter focuses on the intergovernmental relations between local authorities, Regions and the State in Italy. It provides an overview of intergovernmental relations involving local authorities and assess their impact on national and regional policy-making. The chapter describes Italy’s local governance system and discusses the importance of collaboration mechanisms between local authorities and higher levels of government, highlighting the lack of parliamentary representation for municipalities and formal forms of collaboration with the municipalities at national and regional level. The chapter shows that there have been no significant legal changes in formal relations at the national level in recent years. However, local actors’ political influence has grown in practice, even if it is fragile due to its dependence on leaders’ abilities and terms.