Overview
- The lower house began general debate after the Constitutional Affairs Committee approved the measure unanimously last week.
- The bill, first signed by Noi Moderati leader Maurizio Lupi, has backing from Fratelli d'Italia and Forza Italia, with the Lega expected to align.
- The measure would reinstate a civic holiday abolished in 1977 and is tied to the 800th anniversary of Saint Francis’s death in 2026.
- If enacted, the holiday would apply starting in 2027 because October 4, 2026 falls on a Sunday, closing schools and public offices and triggering holiday pay rules in the private sector.
- The government rejected an amendment to add March 19 for Saint Joseph over cost and precedent concerns, while the draft foresees cultural and educational initiatives with reported funding of about €10.7 million annually from 2027.