Italy's 2026 Maturità Exam sees 528,000 students and student‑led protest over reforms

Around 527,747 Italian high‑school students sat the 2026 state exam (Maturità), which began on 18 June with a common written Italian test followed by a second written test tailored to each study track. The Italian paper offered seven prompts – two text analyses, three argumentative pieces and two current‑affairs topics – with the most chosen being a reflection on a Mario Calabresi article. After the written phase, students faced oral examinations specific to their curricula, ranging from Latin passages for classical lyceums to scientific problem‑solving for technical schools.

During the oral exams, a number of candidates participated in the “Generazione che costruisce” protest organised by the Rete degli Studenti Medi. They presented a jointly written document for the examiners to record, critiquing the recent reform led by Minister Giuseppe Valditara. The protest highlighted concerns about mental‑health support, the perceived rigidity of the new system, and whether the exam still serves as a meaningful assessment, prompting varied reactions from exam commissions across the country.