President Mattarella awarded honorary degree in Florence

Italian President Sergio Mattarella received an honorary master’s degree from the University of Florence on Tuesday during a ceremony at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, marking the 150th anniversary of the university’s Cesare Alfieri School of Political Science.

The degree, in Politics, Institutions and Markets, was conferred during an academic ceremony attended by university officials, local authorities, scholars and students. Mattarella was welcomed by Florence mayor Sara Funaro, Tuscany regional president Eugenio Giani and the prefect of Florence Francesca Ferrandino, the central government’s representative in the province.

The event opened with the entrance of University of Florence rector Alessandra Petrucci and the academic commission, followed by the Italian and European anthems performed by the university’s musical ensemble. After institutional greetings and the formal presentation of the degree, the president delivered a lectio doctoralis reflecting on the historical role of political institutions and democratic participation.

A recognition tied to the Cesare Alfieri anniversary

The honorary degree was awarded as part of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the Cesare Alfieri School of Political Science, one of Italy’s oldest institutions dedicated to the study of political and social sciences.

In explaining the decision, the university described Mattarella as an example of institutional culture and public service, whose career illustrates how public office should be exercised in respect of constitutional values, dialogue and competence.

The school said the recognition was intended to offer students a concrete example of democratic responsibility and commitment to public institutions.

Reflections on the origins of the school

In his address, Mattarella recalled that the Cesare Alfieri school was founded shortly after the unification of Italy with the aim of preparing the country’s future leadership.

He noted that the founders wanted to provide young people with a modern education combining legal, historical, economic and social studies. That interdisciplinary approach, he said, reflected the need to understand contemporary society and prepare citizens capable of guiding public institutions.

The legacy of the Constitution

A central part of the president’s speech focused on the role of the Italian Constitution in shaping the country after the devastation of the Second World War.

Mattarella said the authors of the Constitution were able to offer a clear vision for a society based on fundamental rights, freedom and pluralism of institutions. He described their project as the construction of an open society founded on work, social wellbeing and cooperation among nations.

Peace, he said, was placed at the centre of international relations by the authors of the Constitution, who sought to guide Italy toward a future built on collaboration rather than conflict.

Political participation and democratic life

The president also spoke about the role of political parties in Italy’s democratic reconstruction after the war.

According to Mattarella, parties played a key role in ensuring broad public participation in political life, involving citizens in ways that had not occurred previously in the history of the Italian state.

At the same time, he said criticism and scrutiny from voters and the intellectual world remain necessary elements of democratic life and contribute to the health of political institutions.

Standing ovation at the end of the ceremony

Mattarella’s address concluded with a prolonged standing ovation from the audience of academics, students and guests gathered in the theatre. Many in the audience also applauded several passages of the speech during the lecture.

The ceremony ended with the president greeting the rector and members of the academic commission before leaving the theatre.

Visit to the Institute of the Resistance

After the ceremony, Mattarella visited the Istituto Storico Toscano della Resistenza e dell’Età Contemporanea, a research institute in Florence dedicated to the study of the Italian Resistance and contemporary history.

During the visit, he was shown several historical objects connected to the period of the Second World War and the drafting of the Constitution, including materials linked to the anti-fascist movement and the early years of the Italian Republic.

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