Constituent Assembly of Italy

The Italian Constituent Assembly was a special group of representatives that met in Italy from June 25, 1946, to January 31, 1948. Its main job was to create a new constitution for the country. This happened after Italy changed from a kingdom to a republic following a vote by the people.

The members of this assembly were chosen from groups that worked against the Nazi and Fascist forces during the war to free Italy. Their work helped shape the rules and laws that guide Italy today.

History

On June 2, 1946, Italy held its first free election since 1924. For the first time, women over 21 could vote. Voters chose between a Republic and a Monarchy, and also elected members of the new Constituent Assembly, which would write a new constitution.

The vote for a Republic won with about 12.7 million votes, compared to 10.7 million for the Monarchy. The last king, Umberto II, left Italy, and the Republic was officially declared. The Constituent Assembly had 556 members and began its work on June 25, 1946. One of its first actions was to choose Enrico De Nicola as the temporary president of the Republic. The Assembly also had the power to approve governments, budgets, and international treaties. A group of 75 members worked on drafting the constitution, and after much discussion, the final version was approved on December 22, 1947. The Assembly ended its work on January 31, 1948, when it was replaced by the new Italian Parliament.

Presidents

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Tenure (Years and days)	Political Party	Legislature
		Giuseppe Saragat (1898–1988)	25 June 1946	6 February 1947	226 days	Italian Socialist Party	Constituent Assembly (1946)
		Umberto Terracini (1895–1983)	8 February 1947	31 January 1948	357 days	Italian Communist Party

Last living members

After Emilio Colombo passed away in 2013 at the age of 93, there were no remaining members of the Constituent Assembly.

Teresa Mattei, the last surviving female member, also passed away that same year at the age of 92.