While it has a long history as an autonomous entity, the modern Region of Sicily was established by Royal Decree on 15 May 1946, before the Italian Republic.

To defuse the separatist movement in Sicily, the Sicilian Regional Council was established in February 1945 and the special statute was issued on May 15, 1946.

On 26 January 2008, for the first time in republican history, the Assembly was dissolved by the resignation of Regional President Salvatore Cuffaro.

[citation needed] The Assembly is composed of seventy deputies elected by direct universal suffrage every five years by voters in Sicily.

The actual electoral mechanism, which includes a barrier of 5% of the list, provides for the provincial colleges of 62 members plus the president-elect and a candidate for president with the most votes among the non-elect.