In the coming days, just over thirty thousand old Italian laws will be repealed. All at once. These laws, when repealed, will join the approximately 94,000 already abolished, out of a total of 204,272 that came into force since the unification of Italy in 1861, according to a 2023 census. So, more than half of the enacted provisions no longer exist.

Streamlining and simplifying the body of laws a state possesses is a growing necessity that has been increasingly felt over the last thirty years, and governments of different orientations have embraced this need: repealing outdated or effectively anachronistic laws makes it easier and more reasonable for lawmakers to create new ones or for those existing to be enforced. However, this is always a delicate operation that requires skill and caution.