Thepresidential standard of Italy (Italian:Stendardo presidenziale italiano) is the distinctive standard of the presence of thepresident of the Italian Republic.
Therefore, it flies above theQuirinal Palace, when the president is in residence.[1] The standard is flown from the vehicle transporting the president, fromprefectures when the president is visiting a city and inside the halls when he acts in an official capacity.[1] The presidential standard is one of theNational symbols of Italy.
The standard recalls the colors of theflag of Italy, with particular reference to the standard of the historicItalian Republic of 1802–1805; the square shape and thesavoy blue border, whose use was maintained even in the Republican era, symbolize the fourItalian Armed Forces, which are commanded by the president.[1] Blue inheraldry also metaphorically symbolizes command.[2]
Thepresident of the Italian Republic has an official standard. The current version is based on the square flag of theNapoleonic Italian Republic, on a field of blue, charged with theemblem of Italy in gold.[3][4][5] The square shape with aSavoy blue border symbolize the fourItalian Armed Forces, namely theItalian Air Force, theCarabinieri, theItalian Army and theItalian Navy, of which the president is the commander.[1] The standard is kept in the custody of the Commander of the ReggimentoCorazzieri of the Arma deiCarabinieri, along with the war flag (assigned to Regiment in 1878).[6] Blue inheraldry also metaphorically symbolizes command.[2]
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The first presidential standard used provisionally since the officialproclamation of the Italian Republic (June 18, 1946[7]) was the national flag; later, on 22 September 1965, it was decided to establish a specific presidential standard. The initial idea of creating, as a standard, the overlapping of the emblem of the Republic with the national flag was immediately discarded because of the similarity of this hypothetical composition with theMexican flag.[1]
With the Order No. 76 dated 22 September 1965 the presidentGiuseppe Saragat, on the impulse of thedefense ministry of Italy, chose the first standard "model 1965", which included asavoy blue, whose use was maintained even in the Republican era, square field defaced with the emblem of the Republic, 3 / 5 of the side of the cloth, in gold.[1][8] The colors, according to the Italian military tradition, symbolize, respectively, the command and the value.[1]
In 1986 a standard was established for the deputy president of the Republic. This standard, which is similar to the first standard of the president, instead of blue, is white with a blue border; moreover, the emblem of the Republic is silver instead of gold.[8]
Later, by decree of the president of the Republic of 22 March 1990, the presidentFrancesco Cossiga adopted the second standard "1990 model", which included a tricolor square with a blue border, 1/8 (some sources report 1/6) wide, and introduced a regulation of use that established its use and exposure in ceremonies and public buildings. This model lasted only two years.[1][8]
By decree of the president of the Republic of June 29, 1992, the presidentOscar Luigi Scalfaro restored the standard "model 1965", with the emblem of the Republic reduced in height to 1/3 of the proportions of the flag: this version is known as a third standard "model 1992".[1][8]
Finally, by decree of the president of the Republic of 9 October 2000, published in theGazzetta Ufficiale n. 241 of 14 October 2000, the presidentCarlo Azeglio Ciampi introduced the fourth standard "2000 model", the standard currently in use, which recalls the flag of the historicItalian Republic of 1802-1805.[1] This link with the aforementioned historical standard aims to recall theRisorgimento and the struggle fornational unity.[1]
The standard currently in use was taken into orbit on board theInternational Space Station by astronautUmberto Guidoni and shown during the video conference with President Ciampi on 25 April 2001.[9]
By decree of the president of the Republic of May 17, 2001, published in theGazzetta Ufficiale No. 11 of May 22, 2001, the distinctive standard was created for the presidents emeritus of the Republic.[8]
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