Dal Senato Subalpino a quello Unitario (1848-1861)

This essay refers to the recent publication of the Repertorio Biografico dei Senatori dell'Italia liberale (2005-2009) and to the political-historical studies on parliamentary institutions of the past decades. The author focuses on socio-institutional features, hitherto little known and, in particular, she allows us to learn that the Senate, at the beginning of its settlement, has played a role much less passive and submissive than previously believed. Indeed, the Senate performed the legislative-political functions of "reflection" and "advisory" and, at the same time, it defended institutional legality, conforming to the rules of the Statuto Albertino with fairness and consistency, and, later, to those of the new Stato unitario. [Publisher's text].