President Sergio Mattarella said
Wednesday that exercising democracy is not merely a procedural
matter.
"The exercise of democracy, as we have seen, is not reduced to a
mere procedural aspect, nor is it consummated merely by the
irredeemable expression of one's suffrage at the ballot box on
election occasions," he said-
"It presupposes the effort to elaborate a vision of the common
good in which - because they are inseparable - individual
freedoms and social openings, the good of freedom and the good
of shared humanity are skilfully intertwined. Nor is this a
matter limited to state spheres'.
The head of State also stressed the importance of democracy not
violating minority rights and the essential requirement that
everyone should take part in the life of institutions.
He also said that it was important to fight against "the people
who are illiterate when it comes to democracy".
"Democracy is not exhausted in its rules of operation, without
prejudice to the indispensability of defining and respecting the
'rules of the game'.
Because - as Norberto Bobbio recalled - the minimum conditions
of democracy are demanding: generality and equality of the right
to vote, its freedom, alternative proposals, the irrepressible
role of elective assemblies and, last but not least, limits to
majority decisions, in the sense that they cannot violate the
rights of minorities and prevent them from becoming, in turn,
majorities".
"Don Lorenzo Milani urged to 'give the word', because 'only
language makes equals'. To be alphabets in society. The Republic
has come a long way, but the task of ensuring that everyone
takes part in the life of its society and its institutions never
ends. Every generation, every epoch, is awaiting the test of
'literacy', of becoming literate in the life of democracy. A
test, today, more complex than ever in today's technological
society.
"Fighting so that there can be no 'illiterates of democracy' is
a primary, noble cause that concerns us all. Not only those who
hold responsibility or exercise power. By definition, democracy
is an exercise from below, linked to community life, because
democracy is walking together'.
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