High Council of Defence (Italy)

The High Council of Defence (Italian: Consiglio supremo di difesa, or CSD) is an Italian institution of constitutional importance which controls the Italian Armed Forces.

The Italian Constitutional Convention of 1947, mindful of High Commissions of Defence of the statuary tradition and taking inspiration from the High Council of National Defence of the Fourth French Republic, gave the President of Italy, as Head of State, the role of President of the High Council of Defence, along with several other roles. The Constitution did not state how this council would be organised or what its powers were, leaving this for the Italian Parliament to determine.

The council was created by Law no.624 of 28 July 1950, during the Korean War, in light of fear that the conflict might spread to Europe. The ultimate responsibility for political and technical matters of national security was given to its members: the President, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, the Chief of the Defence Staff, as well as the Ministers of the Interior, of Foreign Affairs, of the Treasury, and of Industry and Commerce. The law left several important issues undefined, such as the exact legal nature of the council and its place within the Italian constitutional system. The references in the Constitution are capable of multiple interpretations, as are the law of 1950 and the Presidential Decree no 251 of 4 August 1990. As a result, most of the internal organisation and powers of the CSD are regulated de facto rather than de jure.

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