June 2: what are we celebrating today?

As Paola Cortellesi reminded everyone with hers There's still tomorrowItalian women voted for the first time on 2 June 1946 and the following day when voters chose between monarchy and republic. This day is Republic Day. On the 78th anniversary of the referendum, appointment at the Altar of the Fatherland and military parade at the Imperial Forums. On the afternoon of Sunday 2 June, the Quirinale Gardens will be opened to the public, reserved for vulnerable sections of the population.

Referendum

On 2 and 3 June 1946 a choice had to be made between monarchy and republic. The birth of the Italian Republic passed through that popular vote, the first in our country with universal suffrage. Italians were called to vote to decide what form of government they wanted after the fall of fascism and the end of World War II. Approximately 13 million women and 12 million men voted, equal to a total of 89.08% of those eligible at the time.

The republic won over the monarchy with two million more votes (12,717,923 votes against the 10,719,284 in favor of the monarchic form) and there was the consequent exile of the Savoy with the departure of King Umberto II on 13 June. In the North the republic prevailed, in the South there were more votes for the monarchy.

The Incom weekly newsletter kept by the Istituto Luce told it like this: «Wednesday 5 June. After hours of perplexity, the first results of the referendum begin to appear in the extraordinary editions. Italy is a Republic… The correspondents of newspapers from all over the world are gathered around the table where Minister Romita broadcasts the semi-official announcement on the radio. Ballots for 34,112 sections out of 35,320 are held. The Republic has a two million vote advantage.”

The vote

On the same voting days theConstituent Assembly, who had the task of writing the new Constitution. The Christian Democrats, the first party with 35.2%, the Italian Communist Party and the Italian Socialist Party were mainly represented in the Assembly. The presidency went to Giuseppe Saragat. Among those elected were 21 women. Provisional President of the Republic is the liberal jurist Enrico De Nicola.

on the day of the party

Republic Day was celebrated for the first time on 2 June 1948 with the parade of military forces in Rome. Only once was it not done in the capital. It was 1961 and Turin also celebrated the 100th anniversary of national unity. It was hit by the crisis of the Seventies: from 1977 to 2001 the celebration was moved to the first Sunday of the month to save money and avoid a midweek party. June 2nd became a public holiday again with a 2000 law. In 2020 the President of the Republic went to Codogno, in the Lodi area, the first area in Italy to be affected by Covid. In 2021 the concert of the Santa Cecilia Orchestra and the performance of Roberto Bolle at the Quirinale with first the usual homage to the altar of the homeland. In 2022 the military parade returned and the Quirinale was opened to people with fragility.

Source: Vanity Fair

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