What Remains of the Technical Structures in the Italian Public Administration?

By Lorenzo Saltari
Abstract

Does a strong technical structure still exist in the Italian public administration? Is it a threat to democracy, in line with the idea that a small number of bureaucrats take decisions in exclusive circles, especially international ones, despite the will of the People? Is it, rather, an opportunity or an anchor without which the State may be overwhelmed in light of multiple and complex events? This article illustrates that, in ministries and independent authorities, there exist technical structures, such as the Department of the Treasury and the State General Accounting Department, which have successfully resolved complex problems (for instance, the resolution of the banking crisis, the sustainability of the public debt, the stability of public finances). However, at the same time, the analysis discusses other cases in which technical ministries were deprived of professional skills, such as the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, or in which independent authorities were not fully able to perform their functions during the economic and financial crisis (such as the Italian Competition Authority and its antitrust functions). The article argues that, because of the complexity of the problems inherent in contemporary democracies, technical administrative structures are essential and must be protected. Any attempt to remove their autonomy and prerogatives to reaffirm the primacy of the politics on technical knowledge should be seen as a mistake.