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Italy - Presidential Flag

Last modified: 2009-08-08 by dov gutterman
Keywords: italy | president | cogwheel |
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image by Santiago Dotor and Manuel Bozani, 31 October 2000



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Presidential Standard (2000)

I send to you a scoop, the Presidential Standard will change, probably since December or better 1st January 2001, I'm not sure. It will change because it's be confused with the European Flag that is shown with the National flag on all Public buildings. I have seen it yesterday on a TV service about the visit of the British Queen at the Quirinale (residence of the President. It was Residence of the Pope and of the King).
I'm not sure if it will be charged with the Coat of Arms or the script REPUBBLICA ITALIANA
Bozeni Manuel, 17 October 2000

Please, note that there is no rumor about a change in the Presidential flag in Italy. On the other hand I agree with him, the current presidential flag does not stand out clearly when flies together with the EU flag. The old solution of a tricolour with a blue border was a much better and more simple one.
Pier Paolo Lugli, 17 October 2000

Graphically speaking, I don't think it holds. The presidential flag isn't even close to the EU flag, and the 'new' design looks too French and too much like a reuse of the flag of the Lucca Republic.
Ole Andersen, 17 October 2000

The new Presidential Standard was shown in a Program of the Channel 1 of the Italian National Television (known as RAIUNO). It was shown for the first time. The program was "LA VITA IN DIRETTA" (Monday 16th October, 5:30 PM), conducer of the Program is Mr.Cucuzza.
Bozeni Manuel, 18 October 2000

The law to change the Italian President Flag has been approved and the new flag will be officially displayed to the press next Saturday. More information are available on the next Vexilla Italica magazine from the Italian Centre for Vexillological Studies. At <www.quirinale.it>, one can see the image of the new Italian presidential flag. The decree is in effect from 9 October 2000.
Pier Paolo Lugli and Jordi Pe'rez, 31 October 2000

From this site: "Standard of the President of the Republic: A square red flag, bordered in blue. On the red square, a white lozenge, in it a green square and in its centre the emblem of the Italian Republic in gold."
The blue border appears to be 1/10th of the flag's width.
The whole flag is quite similar to what was reported except that apparently Manuel Bozeni intrepreted that the emblem of the Italian Republic was the actual text. I have coloured the emblem yellow, even though gold (Au) would be probably more appropriate, based on the text in the Italian official website and on the image which appears in it (which seems to be a photograph of an actual standard).
Santiago Dotor, 31 October 2000

Ssince 4th November 2000 the new Presidential standard is official in use. It is charged with a golden coat of arms of the Republic. It was officially presented on TV during the cermony of the commemoration of the victorious armistice in World War 1 at the 4th November, day of the Armed Forces, for the Constitution the President is the Supreme Commander in Chief.


image by Bozeni Manuel, 4 November 2000

The real Standard is given to the Carabinieri Cavalry Squadron CORAZZIERI, the Guard of Honour, of the President. (the measures are 60x60 cm ). A copy (2.5x2.5 mts measure) is fluttering on the tower of the Quirinale only when the President is present.
Bozeni Manuel, 4 November 2000

To complete the comment of Bozeni Manuel here is Coat of Arms of Corazzieri.
Luca Secomandi, 15 November 2000

It is modelled after the flag of the Italian Republic of 1802 which was also the flag of the Kingdom of Italy of 1805.
Miles Li, 3 January 2008


Previous Presidential Standard (1965-1990,1992-2000)


image by Bozeni Manuel, 17 October 2000

The flag of our President is blue with the golden cogwheel and star.
Giuseppe Bottasini, 10 January 1997

Italy Prsidential flag is discussed in "Album des Pavillons". it is added in text (no images):
- the flag for the Substitute President has the same emblem, in silver on a white field with a blue border;
- the flag of the Presidents of the Council of Ministers, of Senate, of Chamber of Deputees and of Constitutional Court has the same emblem in blue on a white field with two blue borders (proportions 2:3)
I remember having seen recently Italy Prsidential flag beside the President in TV-news.
Ivan Sache, 17 April 1999

The blue bordered flag as Italian president standard is out of use seven years now. The blue flag with the national golden emblem is the proper standard again.
Pier Paolo Lugli, 19 April 1999

I found a book yesterday: Gino Galappini and Franco Gay - Insegne bandiere distintive e stemmi della Marina in Italia (1992).  Among a lot of interesting naval and military stuff, it contains pictures and descriptions of two presidential standards replacing the one with the yellow state emblem on blue that I had remembered from Whitney Smith.
The first is white with a blue border and the state emblem in gold on the center. 
The second is a square version of the tricolore surrounded by a blue border.
Joseph McMillan, 17 November 1999

The image number 47 shown at page 57 of the Galuppini-Gay book (which refers to the standard of a TEMPORARY president) bears the Republican emblem in silver (instead of that golden which appears on the standard of the EFFECTIVE President - image 40, page 51).
As my books do not show the standard dated 1990 (image 48, page 58) I cannot say if it is still in use, but I am almost sure that the President also have a personal flag (all blue with golden emblem) which is still used indoor, is displayed with the Italian Tricolore and for this reason should have the same ratio (2:3).
Bruno Cianci , 18 November 1999

About the standard of the President of the Italian Republic , here is a brief summary:
The first flag was the national one, i.e. the plain tricolour. This was in effect since February 1948, in place of the Royal standard (F.O. no.11, February 1948). The flag was used on board of ships as well, atop of the main. The President of the Council of Ministers (which in our political asset is equivalent to a Prime Minister) had the same flag, displayed on the foremast though.
In 1965 the standard was changed: a royal blue square flag, bearing the arms in gold at center became the new President standard.(F.O. no. 76, 22 September 1965).
In 1990 there was a third version: a square national tricolour bordered of royal blue (1/6th of the width). (D.P.R. 22 March 1990; the Navy issued the relative order later, FOM no. 38, 12 May 1990).
In summer 1992, following the election of a new president, the President flag changed again. It was re-adopted the royal blue flag charged with the gold arms, since 6 June 1992.
Pier Paolo Lugli, 22 November 1999


Presidential Standard (1990-1992)


image by Bozeni Manuel, 4 November 2000

Presidential Standard used by President Cossiga from 1990 to 1992.
Bozeni Manuel, 4 November 2000


Proposal For Presidential Standard (1965)


image by Zachary Harden, 2 July 2001

Translated from <www.quirinale.it>:
"After the Republic was proclaimed, the national flag was provisionally adopted as distinguishing flag of the Head of State. By initiative of the Ministry of Defence, a project was prepared in 1965 to adopt a specific flag for the Head of State. Opportunity reasons suggested the most natural solution, the [Italian] tricolour with the emblem of Republic on the middle: in fact, under bad visibility conditions, the standard could be mistaken with that of the President of the United Mexican States, which was also that country's national flag."
Santiago Dotor, 5 July 2001


Substitute President Standard


image by Bozeni Manuel, 17 October 2000

The Substitute of the President while he is out of Italy for official visits in foreign countries, If he dies or he gives dimission of the charge, is the President of the Senate.
Bozeni Manuel, 17 October 2000


Former President Standard


image by Miles Li, 9 March 2009

Ex-President (since March 2001).
Miles Li, 9 March 2009