Republic Day

Republic Day History

Republic Day commemorates the day on which Italian citizens voted on a new form of government. Following the fall of Mussolini’s fascist Italy, Italians voted for a democratic republic over a monarchy. Republic Day is considered the birth of the Italian nation and today, it is one of the most important days in Italian history.

Republic Day is held on 2 June, the same day on which the institutional referendum was held in 1946. Every year since 1948, Italians around the world have gathered to celebrate their choice of a republic in the aftermath of World War II.

Top facts about Republic Day

• After WWII, Italy had a small and highly fragile economy. Today, Italy has one of the largest GDPs in the world with over a trillion dollars moving through the economy annually.
• Italians who voted in the 1946 referendum had to choose between a republic and a monarchy. The republic received around 12 million votes while the monarchy only received around 10 million.

In the News and Trending in Italy for Republic Day

Republic Day Top Things to Do

• Learn about other referendums and how their outcomes impact citizens and the world. Referendums allow citizens to choose between two different courses of action for one political question. There have been some monumental referendums over the past few decades: The Quebec Referendum, The UK’s EU Referendum and the Eritrean Referendum.
• Spread awareness on social media by using the hashtags #RepublicDay, #ItalyRepublicDay and #1946Referendum.