Abstract
The Italian polity appears to be dissociated into two different worlds which are separated and antithetical. The first world is the world of politics specially at the national level. The second world is the world of policies specially at the local level. The first sphere is dominated by the rule of majority, in a very extreme version. The second sphere is dominated by the principle of agreement and intergovernmental partnership. The article examines the differences between the two worlds and suggests the while the first world is normally taken into account by public opinion, we should consider seriously also the second one, as the processes of governance that occur within it are of great importance for the delivery of public policies. Finally the article discusses whether the practices within the second world can hinder the populist and majoritarian tendencies of the first one.