Italy has removed the final word “Sì!” from its national anthem, ending a long-standing patriotic flourish that pledged citizens’ readiness to die for the country, following a proposal by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and approval by President Sergio Mattarella.
The change affects official performances of Il Canto degli Italiani, commonly known as Fratelli d’Italia, and was recently communicated to all branches of the armed forces. Until now, the anthem concluded with the line: “We are ready to die, we are ready to die, Italy has called! Yes!” — with the emphatic final shout traditionally delivered with enthusiasm at sporting events and public ceremonies.
Mattarella’s office said the decision was not politically motivated but aimed at restoring historical accuracy by returning to the original lyrics written in 1847 by poet Goffredo Mameli, which did not include the word “Sì!”. While the term appears in the original musical score composed by Michele Novaro, it was not part of Mameli’s text.
The revision was first reported by Il Fatto Quotidiano and has reportedly sparked unease within Italy’s military, particularly amid growing concern about the risk of a broader European conflict. Critics say the symbolic change comes at a sensitive moment, when public willingness to support military engagement appears low.
A survey published in July by the Censis research institute found that only 16 per cent of Italians said they would be willing to risk their lives in war, while more than a quarter preferred to rely on foreign mercenaries. Lucio Caracciolo, editor of the geopolitics journal Limes, has argued that Italy suffers from a deep-seated cultural and psychological reluctance to fight.
On the presidential website, the anthem now ends with instrumental music in place of the final word. Commenting on the change, Il Fatto Quotidiano suggested that music offered a more fitting response than a “militaristic cry” at a time when warfare is increasingly discussed in abstract or indirect terms.
Despite backing the change, Meloni — known for her strong nationalist rhetoric — appeared to strike a lighter note on Tuesday, joining her staff and the choir of the Alpini regiment in a spirited rendition of the anthem that included a defiant final “Sì!”, reportedly in a festive nod to the Christmas season.
