Minoranze variabili. Tecniche di governo e meccanismi di voto al concilio di Trento

The article aims to illustrate the presence of minorities within the Council of Trent through some significant episodes. In particular, it presents the clashes for the definition of the right to vote and the compromise solutions elaborated at the beginning of the Council. Two fundamental problems for the legitimization of the assembly are then examined: the participation of a sufficient number of fathers in the work and the possibility of admitting procurators instead of bishops unable to intervene. Finally, the strategies with which, in the final stages of the Council, the Roman Curia overthrew the majorities present in the room and intervened on the composition of the assembly to obtain results pleasing to the papacy are analyzed.