Public Law Quarterly Review

The Rivista trimestrale di diritto pubblico (in English, Public Law Quarterly Review) was founded in 1951 and has since been the main scientific point of reference for Italian constitutional and administrative law scholars. Over the years it has been directed by the most renowned Italian public law scholars of the twentieth century: Guido Zanobini since  foundation through 1965, Massimo Severo Giannini from 1965 to 2000, Sabino Cassese from 2000 to date.

The Review’s principal focus is on publishing salient and original essays in public and administrative law, written by leading academics as well as promising young scholars. In addition to essays, the journal features short articles, legal news, book reviews, bibliographic profiles and information. The Review also publishes yearly reports, on EU law and on Italian constitutional and administrative law – which provide a brief overview of the main tendencies and events occurring in the field during the year under examination -, reviews of documents and parliamentary inquiries, and commentaries of the main constitutional and administrative law books. The Review requires authors to commit to not publish elsewhere the works that it accepts for publication. The approval of articles follows a rigorous and highly selective process of peer review.

Featured


no. 1 - 2025 January / March

Rule of Law in Decline? The Quest for Progress

Today, the rule of law is composed of many elements, or factors. The World Justice Project — a remarkable international initiative — has listed eight of these: constraints on government powers; absence of corruption; open government; fundamental rights; order and security; regulatory enforcement; civil justice; criminal justice. These factors are specifications of the traditional concept

Rule of law and judicial appointments

The rule of law is facing challenges in many areas. One of these areas is the intersection of the rule of law and the selection and appointment of judges. An independent judiciary is an essential component of the rule of law. Only independent courts can effectively enforce the legal obligations to which a state is

Against Administrative Law. Reasons, Themes and Implications of a Debate in the United States of America

In the last 15 years, different strands of anti-administrative approaches have emerged, oriented towards disabling the administrative state and pointing to the dangers accompanying the expansion and renewal of administrative law. The supporters of these approaches argue that administrative law is unconstitutional and illiberal. This article aims to reflect on the reasons for the emergence

Editorial Board

The Rivista trimestrale di diritto pubblico (in English, Public Law Quarterly Review) was founded in 1951 and has since been the main scientific point of reference for Italian constitutional and administrative law scholars.

Editorial Director:
Sabino Cassese
Scientific Advisory Board:
Jean-Bernard Auby
Francesca Bignami
Armin von Bogdandy
Mark Thatcher
Joseph H.H. Weiler
Editorial Vice-Director:
Bernardo Giorgio Mattarella
Board of Editors:
Stefano Battini
Lorenzo Casini
Marco D’Alberti
Elisa D’Alterio
Giulio Napolitano
Aldo Sandulli
Luisa Torchia
Giulio Vesperini
Managing Editor:
Giorgio Mocavini
Web Editors:
Bruno Carotti
Patrizio Rubechini