Italian President Sergio Mattarella has called for a renewed pact of trust between state institutions and the public as the nation prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of the Republic on June 2—a milestone that arrives amid mounting citizen anxiety about economic insecurity and a documented decline in confidence across most public bodies.
Why This Matters
• National reckoning: After 8 decades of republican governance, trust in core democratic institutions—parliament, political parties, national government—has fallen sharply, with only 22.4% of Italians expressing faith in political parties as of 2024.
• Cost-of-living crisis: Over half the population cites inflation and energy prices as their primary worry, directly linked to international instability.
• Civic disengagement: Fewer than half of Italians now inform themselves about politics weekly, down from two-thirds in 2003, and 15 M people never engage with political news at all.
In a message delivered to Italy's prefects—the state's representatives in each province—Mattarella framed the anniversary as a moment to "consolidate the architecture of trust" and revive authentic democratic participation. The statement, released on the eve of Republic Day festivities, emphasized that constitutional values live only through the actions of those in public service. Yet the timing underscores a harder reality: Italians are more skeptical than ever about whether their voice matters.
The Referendum That Redefined Italy
The June 2, 1946 institutional referendum abolished the monarchy and installed the republic following two decades of Fascist rule, the devastation of World War II, and the Liberation struggle. Mattarella described the vote as a "choral and sincere exercise in democracy," noting the extraordinary turnout and the historic participation of women voting for the first time in a national election.
The referendum's result—12.7 M votes for the republic against 10.7 M for the monarchy—was the foundation for the Constituent Assembly, which drafted the Constitution that took effect on January 1, 1948. That charter enshrined principles of liberty, equality, and solidarity and remains the bedrock of Italy's legal and civic order.
But 80 years on, the gap between constitutional ideals and lived experience has widened. OECD data from 2023 ranks Italy 19th out of 30 countries in institutional trust, with an average score of 32 out of 100—well below the OECD mean. The fire brigade retains near-universal confidence at 90%, followed by police forces at 73% and the presidency at 68%. Parliament and the national government lag at roughly 40% and 37%, respectively, while local councils—closer to citizens' daily concerns—score higher at 50%.
What This Means for Residents
For anyone living in Italy, Mattarella's appeal is more than ceremonial rhetoric. It arrives as global tensions reverberate through household budgets, employment prospects, and social cohesion. The presidency's message explicitly acknowledges that "international tensions generate worries and insecurities in the lives of citizens and communities."
The Farnesina (Italy's Foreign Ministry) underwent structural reform in early 2026, adding a cybersecurity directorate and prioritizing economic diplomacy to protect export markets and mitigate supply-chain shocks. Task forces monitor prices for energy, fuel, and staples, and the government has floated the idea of mobile excise taxes to cushion volatility. Yet these measures have not reversed a broader pessimism: surveys show only a small fraction of Italians expect living standards to improve in the near term.
The president's call for "listening, intelligent reading of emerging social dynamics, and sensitivity to situations of hardship" is directed at prefects, mayors, and civil servants—the officials citizens encounter when navigating bureaucracy, seeking social assistance, or reporting crime. Mattarella argues that effective governance depends on proximity and dialogue, especially with young people, whose engagement with politics has cratered. Among 14- to 24-year-olds, political participation is the lowest of any age cohort, with many viewing traditional civic action—voting, attending rallies—as futile. Only 32% of Italians believe personal participation can change outcomes, while 35% deem it useless.
Celebrations Across the Peninsula
Commemorations on June 2 will unfold nationwide, with Rome hosting the central ceremonies. The day begins with a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Altare della Patria, followed by a military parade along Via dei Fori Imperiali featuring armed forces, civil protection units, bands, and institutional delegations. The Frecce Tricolori aerobatic squadron will paint the sky in green, white, and red. State museums and archaeological sites open for free, though advance booking is required at many venues.
In Turin, the municipality has organized events in Piazza Castello and at the Teatro Regio, including the presentation "I Volti della Repubblica – 80 anni dal Referendum" (The Faces of the Republic—80 Years Since the Referendum), free with reservation. Florence will hold flag-raising ceremonies in Piazza della Repubblica at 10:00 a.m., followed by an awards ceremony in Piazza della Signoria where the prefect confers honors. That evening, the square will screen "C'è ancora domani" by Paola Cortellesi and broadcast the RAI special from Rome's Quirinale. From June 9 to 12, Palazzo Vecchio hosts the "Marianne d'Italia" exhibition in the Cortile di Michelozzo. Genoa opens Palazzo Tursi to the public, including the mayor's office, blending civic memory with participatory culture.
The Erosion of Democratic Confidence
The structural problem Mattarella targets is unmistakable in the data. Between 2003 and 2024, "invisible participation"—reading news, discussing politics—collapsed. More than 18 M Italians never talk about politics, mostly out of disinterest or distrust. Over half express dissatisfaction with how democracy functions. A Censis report noted that while overall trust in institutions edged up from 33.1% in 2024 to 36.5% in 2025, the share reporting increased trust actually fell, and non-responses rose—a sign of ambivalence or disillusionment. Alarmingly, 30% of respondents said autocratic systems suit the spirit of the times better than democracy.
Political parties remain the least trusted institution, with one in five Italians assigning them a zero score. Parliament has recovered somewhat—from 22.9% trust in 2012 to 40.8% in 2024—but remains below the European Parliament's 40.2%. The judiciary's credibility dipped from 46.1% to 44% in a single year, breaking a positive trend since 2020.
Listening, Proximity, and the Road Ahead
Mattarella's emphasis on "listening and proximity" is an implicit acknowledgment that top-down pronouncements no longer suffice. The president urged public officials to work with schools and civic organizations to "intercept needs, questions, and aspirations of the younger generations, valorizing their talents and potential." This language reflects a growing recognition that disengagement among youth is not apathy but a rational response to perceived irrelevance.
The Republic Day message also highlights social cohesion as the ultimate goal. In a country where protests against international conflicts have erupted in multiple cities, where tourism—a pillar of the economy—faces headwinds from exchange-rate fluctuations and geopolitical instability, and where the cost of living dominates kitchen-table conversations, the call for a revitalized civic compact is both urgent and fragile.
Whether ceremonies, speeches, and historical reflection can translate into renewed trust depends on whether institutions deliver tangible improvements in security, opportunity, and fairness. For now, the 80th anniversary serves as both celebration and warning: the Republic's survival is not guaranteed by its founding, but by the continuous work of rebuilding confidence, one interaction at a time.
