Michele Marzulli

The historical evolution of the Italian welfare system seems to indicate an increasing level of responsibility of territorial governance. The municipalities are, in fact, the center of the management model of social policy and especially the reference point of a growing social demand for services. The perspective of the multilevel governance allows, however, identifying opportunities and constraints of municipal welfare. While the federal tax reform is still to be done, the municipalities are likely to suffer heavy reduction of national transfers because of the global economic crisis, which seems increasingly to seek cuts in welfare system. Only by following the constitutional model of subsidiarity, the Italian welfare system will emerge from the crisis with a profound renewal, closer to the needs of citizens.