On 22 December 1947, 520 people gathered in the Palazzo di Montecitorio in Roma to score a decisive moment in the history of Italy. We are talking about the official approval of the Constitution of the Italian Republic. That document marked a new beginning in the history of the country, after the monarchy, Fascism and the war.
The path that led to that moment, however, was much longer. It had its roots as far back as the war period. In June 1944 the convening of a Constituent Assembly to be elected by universal suffrage was the first act. For the first time, women could also vote, which was legally formalized in February 1945.
Before the Constitution: the birth of the Constituent Assembly
The Constituent Assembly arrived at the same time as the political elections of 2 June 1946 and with the fundamental referendum that marked the end of Savoy Italy and the birth of the first Italian Republic. 89% of those entitled to vote, that is, citizens over the age of 21, took part in the vote.
The Constituent Assembly was divided into 556 seats, spread over 31 constituencies. The Christian Democrats obtained 207 seats, equal to 35,2% of the votes. It was followed by the Socialist Party with 115 seats (20,7%), and by the Communist Party with 104 seats (18,9%). Other parties that had played a role in the National Liberation Committee elected deputies, albeit in small numbers. The liberals of the National Democratic Union obtained 41 seats (6,8%), while those of the Republican Party 23 (4,4%); finally, the Action Party, a center-left formation fundamental in the resistance struggle, elected 7 deputies (1,5%).
In the new democratic Italy represented by the Assembly, however, there were immediately opposition parties, of conservative and monarchical inspiration, represented by the National Freedom Block, which obtained 16 seats (2,8%). The controversial Front of the Everyman, the first party of the Italian populist right, was also positioned in the same camp, which won 30 seats (5,3%).
The approval of the Italian Constitution
These were the components of the Constituent Assembly, called to draft the first Constitution of the Italian Republic, which distanced itself from Albertino Statute of the monarchical era. He chose to appoint a special commission to carry out a general draft of the charter: composed of 75 members, divided into three sub-commissions, one was to deal with the rights and duties of citizens, chaired by the Christian Democrat Umberto Tupini; one focused on the organization of the state, chaired by the communist Umberto Terracini; and one relating to economic and social relations, directed by the socialist Gustavo Ghidini.
In February 1947, the Commission concluded its work and presented it to the Assembly, starting the discussion phase in the classroom, which involved several changes to the original draft. Finally, December 22 came: with secret ballot, 458 deputies voted in favor of the new Italian Constitution, compared to 62 against and no abstentions.
Five days after approval, the December 27, the Constitution of the Italian Republic was officially promulgated. It finally came into force on January 1, 1948.
Photo source in evidence: Quirinale.it - allotment
