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The so-called 'Statuto Albertino' ("'Albertine Statute'") was the constitution that King Charles Albert I of Sardinia conceded to the Kingdom of Sardinia (including also most parts of north-western Italy, such as Piedmont) on March 4, 1848.
Historically, the Statuto was proclaimed only because of the concern of revolutionary insurrection which agitated Italy at the time (and Charles Albert was only following the example of other Italian rulers), but it was the only constitution to survive the repression that followed the First war of independence in Italy (1848-1849). The Statuto remained at the base of the kingdom's legal system even after Italian unification was achieved and the Kingdom of Sardinia turned into the Kingdom of Italy. Even if it suffered deep modifications, especially during the fascist dictatorship of Benito Mussolini (who, however, ruled with the tacit approval of king Victor Emmanuel III), it was never formally abrogated until Italy assumed the republican form of government in 1946.
In its original version, it instituted a Parliament formed by a Senate entirely nominated by the king and an elected lower house called the House of Deputies. The king retained extensive powers,such as Article V which stated;
"''The king alone has the executive power. He is the supreme head of the state, commands all the armed forces by sea and land, makes treaties of peace, of alliance, of commerce, but giving notice of them to the two Houses as far as national interest permit. Treaties which demand any financial burden, or which would alter territoral boundaries of the state, shall not have any effect until the two Houses have consented to them''".
Not only this but the choice of Foreign minister was nearly always the choice of the monarch, coupled with the fact that he could dismiss any minister at will, however the power of the king depended on the personality of the monarch and the prime minister of the day.

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References

External links

★ The Italian text of the Statuto Albertino.

References

Denis Mack Smith, ''Modern Italy: A Political History'', 1997