Practices of the State of Emergency: Consequences of COVID-19 to the Political System of Italy

The article is dedicated to the impact of the COVID-19 on the political system of Italy. The analysis includes the decision-making process in a state of emergency, the character of political communication and the new practices of emergency power, which arose during the pandemic and can influence the subsequent evolution of the Italian political system. Two levels of power relations (sovereignty) have been identified where the most significant changes have occurred: those are state - society relations and centre - regions relations. The pandemic has augmented the role of the executive branch in the decision-making process and of the informal negotiation practices within the elites, has led to a decrease in the role of representative institutions, and to an increase in conflict relations between the center and the regions. The author comes to the conclusion that the emerging trends will entail a new phase of the negotiation between the political forces on the issue of a transformation of the political system.