Republic Day on 2nd of June in Italy – some Historical Memorizations

78 years ago there was a general referendum about the new form of the young republic after the fascist era. On 2nd and 3rd of June 1946 Italians were called to the polls to decide which form of state – monarchy or republic – should have the new state. The referendum then marked a double epochal turning point: It was in fact the first universal suffrage vote held in Italy, in which women also participated for the first time.

In reality, the results of the referendum were announced on the evening of 10 June 1946, but the proclamation of the Republic was postponed to 18 June due to protests, mainly concerning the slight difference in votes between those who had chosen the Republic and those who had voted for the monarchy. Until 18 June, the Court of Cassation confirmed the victory of the Republic. To commemorate this event, Republic Day was established, which falls every year on 2 June.

A short look at some numbers: 89 % of the eligible voters voted. The percentage of votes in favour of the republic was 54,3% – not so big. The percentage of votes in favour of the monarchy was 45,7 %. In the north the republic won, in the south the monarchy. Both parts of the country are until today very different under political and economic aspects.

While due to the severe economic crisis that hit Italy in the 1970s, in order to contain state and social costs, Republic Day was made a „moveable holiday“ in 1977, i.e. moved to the first Sunday in June, with the consequent suppression of 2nd June as a public holiday.

The military parade in Rome's Imperial Forum was first included in the protocol of official celebrations in 1950. In 1976 it was not organised following the disastrous earthquake in Friuli. The following year, in 1977, in the midst of austerity, it was decided not to resume the traditional military parade so as not to burden the state budget with further expenses. This decision was reiterated in the following years. Instead of the military parade, a demonstration was organised in Piazza Venezia at the centre of Rome in which representatives of the Italian armed forces took part.

The military parade was reinstated in the official ceremonial of Rome's main celebration in 1983 and that year it took place on the first Sunday in June. In the Covid years 2020 and 2021, the parade did not take place, only to resume regularly from 2022 on.