Preface to Lo Scrittoio del Presidente by Luigi Einaudi

The work proposes, with a brief comment, the preface to Lo Scrittoio del Presidente, the book that Einaudi published at the end of his mandate. What emerges from these pages is his method in following the formation of the laws (the story of the reform of the 1953 electoral law is exemplary in this regard) and in the daily dialogue and discussions with those responsible for government activity. The freedom with which Einaudi moved in addressing reflections and indications (of which Lo Scrittoio offers a broad and original testimony) was based on a strong consideration of the premier’s role of direction of general government policy, based on a clear distinction of roles, which was fully fulfilled during the De Gasperi premiership. In the same period there were, however, also moments of friction that concerned the defence of the prerogatives of the President, of his spaces of autonomy. Such spaces Einaudi went on to define throughout his seven-year term by developing innovative practices that defined the role of the President of the Republic in the Italian form of government.