Celebrating Republic Day

Rome Celebrates the Festa della Repubblica

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Exactly 80 years ago, on June 2nd 1946, Italians began voting in a referendum to decide whether to replace the monarchy with a republic. 

The referendum took place over two days and the result was: 12,717,923 votes for the republic and 10,719,284 for the monarchy. 

June 2nd duly became the Festa della Repubblica and a national holiday. 

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