photo source: Corriere della Sera
On 2 June 1946 the Italians and, for the first time, the Italians were in fact called to choose between the Monarchy and the Republic, in a referendum that has gone down in history. The turnout was very high, out of about 28 million eligible voters, 24,946,878 Italians went to the polls: 54.4% chose the Republic, against the 45.7% who instead voted in favor of the Monarchy.
Referendum June 2, 1946: because it is a vote that changed history
One result which testified to a certain split in the Italian electoratestrongly conditioned by the Second World War and still on its knees because of the social consequences of the war. In fact, there was no shortage controversy and reports of electoral fraud, appeals and complaints. However, once the appeals were assessed, on 18 June 1946 the Court of Cassation proclaimed the validity of the referendum, sanctioning the official birth of the Republic.
But if there is a fact what leaves no room for imagination is the turnout. Numbers that, after almost 80 years, are no longer seen and that were, at the time, proof of the desire for change of millions of Italians. It was also the first universal suffrage vote, in which women over the age of 21 also participated. Also for this reason the day takes on important social connotations: for the first time in history Italians and Italians enjoyed the same right to vote.
How the Republic Day is celebrated
The Republic Day is a day full of great initiatives and official ceremonies. The morning will open with the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella who, in the presence of the highest institutional offices, will pay homage to the Altare della Patria with the deposition of a laurel wreath with tricolor ribbon. At the same time there will be the flyover of the Frecce Tricolori over the skies of Rome.
Tradition also provides that the celebrations continue in the afternoon with the opening to the public of the Gardens of the Quirinale palace, seat of the presidency of the Italian Republicwith concerts by the bands of the Italian Army, the Italian Navy, of the Italian Air Force, of the Carabinierithe State Police, the Guardia di Finanza, the Penitentiary Police Corps and the State Forestry Corps.