Italy’s local democracy facing the pandemic: lessons and challenges

This chapter illustrates how, while health services where being overwhelmed by the emergency in 2020, Italian local authorities delivered a swift response, with tangible results, in assisting the population. While the vaccination campaign goes on, local authorities are expected to carry on their engagement for social and territorial cohesion, in front of the still dramatic consequences of the pandemic. Rather than returning to business as usual, they have the chance to learn from the experience of the pandemic. In particular, they can develop new approaches to successfully address several challenges in many policy areas of local government, which is closely concerned with the wellbeing of individuals, families, social organizations, and the private sector. In so doing, they are deemed to uphold the democratic character of the local political process.