Italy republic marks 80 years as Frecce Tricolori close June 2 parade

Rome— Italy marked the 80th anniversary of the Republic on Tuesday with the traditional June 2 military and civic parade in Rome, culminating in the celebrated flypast of the Frecce Tricolori over the capital.

The annual celebrations, held along Via dei Fori Imperiali, were attended by President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the country’s highest institutional authorities, including parliamentary leaders and senior military officials.

Proceedings opened earlier in the morning with President Mattarella laying a laurel wreath at the Altare della Patria before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, paying tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

The parade began with around 280 mayors and local administrators wearing the tricolour sash, representing municipalities from across Italy, before military units, civil institutions and state representatives took part in the procession.

In a message addressed to Defence Chief Luciano Portolano, Mattarella described June 2, 1946, as a historic moment that "marked the fulfilment of an unprecedented act of freedom," referring to the referendum through which Italians chose the republican system and parliamentary democracy following the Second World War.

Meloni also marked the anniversary with a message on social media, saying: "Eighty years of Republic, freedom and participation make us proud and grateful to those who came before us and helped build the foundations of our national community."

The celebrations encountered a minor setback when the planned parachute display above the Imperial Forums was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. Five Army parachutists from the Folgore Brigade's training and sports division were forced to abandon their jump from approximately 1,500 metres as strong winds reaching 70 knots made the manoeuvre unsafe.

Despite the cancellation, the ceremony concluded with the traditional flypast of the Frecce Tricolori, Italy's national aerobatic team. Aircraft from the 313th Aerobatic Training Group traced the colours of the Italian flag across the skies above Rome, bringing the parade to a close before final honours were rendered to the President.

Mattarella then departed the ceremony aboard the historic Lancia Flaminia, escorted by a mounted formation of the Corazzieri regiment.

The Foreign Ministry also took part in the celebrations, with officials from the Farnesina crisis unit, Italian consuls and newly recruited diplomats joining the parade. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani attended the review and issued a video message to Italians abroad, which was broadcast during Republic Day celebrations organised by diplomatic and consular offices worldwide.

While official commemorations continued in Rome, demonstrations were held elsewhere in Italy. In Pontedera, near Pisa, organisers said around 2,000 people marched peacefully to protest military spending and oppose plans for a new military base, as well as broader rearmament policies and ongoing conflicts.

The June 2 anniversary commemorates the 1946 referendum that abolished the monarchy and established the Italian Republic, a defining moment in the country's modern democratic history. This year’s celebrations were also broadcast on giant screens in around 90 municipalities across Italy.

PS