Italy celebrates 80th anniversary of opening of the Constituent Assembly

Italy on Thursday celebrated the 80th

anniversary of the first session of its

Constituent Assembly with a ceremony in the Lower House

involving President Sergio Mattarella, Premier Giorgia Meloni

and lawmakers from both chambers of parliament.

The Constituent Assembly was the parliamentary chamber that sat

from June 1946 to January 1948 to write the Constitution for the

Republic after the Italian people voted in a referendum to

abolish the monarchy following World War II.

"I thank the Speakers of the Chambers for taking this initiative

to honour the women and men who, in the Constituent Assembly—in

this chamber, where its work took place — were able to give

shape to the freedom and democracy of the Italian people in the

aftermath of the referendum that chose the Republic as the form

of government, and were able to guarantee its independence"

Mattarella said.

"Working intensely for 18 months, the 535 men and 21 women

called to serve in the Constituent Assembly set out to restore

the image of Italy, and the result was a Constitution that has

ensured stability for democratic institutions and Italy's

international standing over the past decades, and promoted the

country's progress".

He said critics of the assembly who argue it was a largely a big

bartering operation between the main parties of the day are

wrong.

"On the contrary, they (the parties involved) adhered to a

fundamental principle that has gradually taken root in the

common consciousness of (Italy's) citizens: 'the Republic

belongs to everyone'," he said.

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