On 2 June 1946, the Italian people were called to vote to choose the institutional form of the State and to elect the deputies of the Constituent Assembly, responsible for drafting the Constitution. It was the first universal suffrage also voted for by women. Voter turnout was very high – around 90% of those eligible – and 13 million Italians chose to vote for the Republic. Among the 556 members of the Constituent Assembly, 21 women were elected.

The constituent members not only took an active part in the work of the Commissions and the debates in the Chamber but also had a decisive role in the drafting of the articles of the Constitution itself. Five of them were elected to the “Commission of 75”, responsible for the actual drafting of the constitutional text.

The active role of women in the construction of the new architecture of the State was discussed in the seminar “The Contribution of Women in the Constituent Assembly” which was held on Monday 15 April at 10.30 am, at the University headquarters in Piazza Santi Apostoli n.°49 in Rome.