Responsabilités de l’administration publique italienne en période de crise sanitaire Covid-19

This paper explores the role of public administrations in managing emergencies, with a particular focus on Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic. The first part examines the distribution of responsibilities across different levels of government, highlighting conflicts between central and local authorities, as well as between authoritative measures and individual freedoms, and showing how the principles of the Italian legal system provide tools to resolve such tensions. The second part addresses a specific case of conflict between authority and freedom, discussing the legitimacy, boundaries, and responsibilities of the Ministry of Health in implementing mandatory vaccination during the pandemic. Thus, two fundamental principles emerge as essential for achieving a proper balance between these competing demands: the principle of prevention, which ensures rational public decision-making, and the principle of solidarity, which safeguards social cohesion particularly during times of crisis.