Politics · Italy · 8 hrs ago
Mattarella urges Italy to limit its growing number of national days
Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella approved a national day for paper recycling and used the decision to warn about the growing number of official commemorative days.
There are now 51 national days, in addition to national holidays, and 36 were created over the past three legislatures.
Many call on public bodies, especially schools, to hold lessons or other activities about each day’s theme.
Mattarella said schools cannot reasonably mark every day without taking time away from teaching regular subjects.
He said some observances serve an important purpose, but argued that their growing number makes them less effective and that other tools could promote their aims.
Mattarella urged lawmakers to slow the creation of new days and said there are no consistent criteria for establishing them.
Senate President Ignazio La Russa agreed with the concern, but said the available means to limit new observances are only persuasion.
President Sergio Mattarella urged Italy to curb the growth in national days, saying their rising number makes it difficult for schools to mark them all.
He made the appeal in a letter to the leaders of parliament after promulgating a law establishing a national day for paper recycling.
Italy now has 51 such days in addition to national holidays, Mattarella said.
Thirty-six national-day laws were approved over the last three legislatures, including 20 in the current one.
Senate President Ignazio La Russa said he agreed with Mattarella but that only moral suasion was available to limit new observances.
- Who
- President Sergio Mattarella urged restraint; Senate President Ignazio La Russa said he agreed.
- What
- Mattarella called for a reasonable limit on new national days, citing the demands they place on schools.
- When
- 15 October 2026.
- Where
- Italy.
- Why
- The number of national days has risen to 51, and Mattarella said it is increasingly difficult for schools to fulfil the related duties.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Mattarella promulgated the law establishing a national day of wonder.
Mattarella promulgated the law establishing a national day for paper recycling and sent a letter urging restraint in creating national days.
- National days
- 51, in addition to national holidays
- Laws in three legislatures
- 36 national-day laws approved
- Laws in current legislature
- 20
- New observance
- National day for paper recycling
- La Russa's view
- Only moral suasion is available to limit new observances
5 sources
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What people are saying
Avverto quindi l'esigenza di esortare a contenere in termini ragionevoli la tendenza ad accrescere i giorni dedicati
gli strumenti a disposizione per limitare l'istituzione di tali ricorrenze sono solo di moral suasion