Technical Governments and Technical Experts in the Governments

Abstract

The topics of this essay are some reflections about the role taken by technical governments (i.e. governments led and/or composed of professional experts) in the European system of governments. The study begins with a general introduction about the relationship between technical expertise and politics, with some references to the way in which the philosophers and social scientists have dealt with the general issue of the relationship between democracy and technocracy. After that, the essay goes on with a comparative analysis concerning both the provisions included in the constitutions of some European countries allowing the formation of technical governments and the praxis that took place in some other countries, which brought forward the development of this type of executive. The analysis, inclusive of the most important example of technical governments set up in Italy (the Monti Government), leads to the conclusion that technical governments have some common features, regarding their origin (due to situations of heavy economic crisis like the latest one of 2007–2008), their composition (mostly based on professional experts—especially for the Prime Minister—and not politicians), their program (limited to few objectives and measures, necessary for facing the crisis). Finally, the essay takes into consideration the presence of professional experts in regional governments.

In these common reflections about technical Governments, paragraphs n. 1, 2, and 4 can be attributed to Andrea Pierini, while paragraphs 3, 5, and 6 to Mauro Volpi.