The Head of the Italian State, Sergio Mattarella, sent the following message to the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron:

"On the occasion of the national holiday, I am pleased to extend to you and all your fellow citizens the heartfelt congratulations of the Italian people, to which I add my personal best wishes.

For your Country and for the whole of Europe, July 14 represents a moment of exceptional historical significance and high symbolic value, celebrating the universal ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity, which form the foundation of our democracies. As you wrote, Mr President, in the warm message sent to me last June 2 on the occasion of the Italian Republic Day, France and Italy share a 'unique relationship.' They are vital allies to each other, strengthened by common cultural roots and united by numerous paramount interests.

In this perspective, the Quirinale Treaty remains a privileged instrument of bilateral cooperation, whose implementation is a priority both for Paris and Rome. A structured collaboration among trusted partners is indispensable to address the current international context, marked by complex challenges and increasing tensions. Our countries, authoritative members of the European Union and the Atlantic Alliance, are indeed called to maintain together a leading role on the global stage, starting with the commitment to effectively counter the most urgent threats to peace, from the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine to the dramatic situation in the Middle East.

The stability and security, as well as the prosperity and competitiveness of our continent, depend on the shared assumption of these responsibilities, whose integration process has greatly contributed—and must continue to contribute—to the affirmation of a multilateral order based on rules, peaceful and interdependent.

Recalling the moving memory of the restored Notre-Dame cathedral—a symbol of the resilience and industriousness of the French—I renew, dear President, my warmest wishes for today’s solemn occasion, expressing to you the highest esteem, along with my best wishes for Your well-being and a brilliant future for the friendly people of France".