Italian Ministry adds Giuseppe Saragat speech to 2026 high school exam

Italy’s education ministry has decided to include a passage from former President Giuseppe Saragat’s inaugural speech to the Constituent Assembly in the written portion of the 2026 Maturità exam. The move is intended to highlight democratic values such as peace, liberty and responsibility and to bring a historically significant political text to today’s students.

Former Forza Italia MP Paolo Russo praised the choice as a “symbolic act of justice” that reconnects young people with Italy’s founding democratic ideals. Ernestina Saragat, the 98‑year‑old daughter of the late president, welcomed the decision, describing it as a “magnificent choice” and an honour for the family, noting that the speech remains relevant.

The inclusion is seen as a cultural‑political gesture to reinforce the historical memory of Italy’s post‑war republic within the national curriculum.