The Rete degli Studenti Medi (; RSM) is a
national students union for high school students in
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. It was founded in 2007 following a split within the
Unione degli Studenti
Unione degli Studenti (UdS), meaning The Students' Union, is an Italian anti-fascist association of students, part of the OBESSU, the European platform for cooperation between the national school student unions. Since July 26th 2024 the nationa ...
(UdS), the oldest student union in the country. The division occurred after the end of the collaboration between UdS and the
Italian General Confederation of Labour
The Italian General Confederation of Labour (, , CGIL ) is a national trade union centre in Italy. It was formed by an agreement between socialists, communists, and Christian democrats in the "Pact of Rome" of June 1944. In 1950, socialists and ...
(CGIL), the largest Italian
trade union
A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...
.
RSM was established through the merger of several groups: the
Rete degli Studenti (originally linked to CGIL),
Idee Studentesche in Movimento (ISIM), a network that aimed to overcome the split between UdS and RSM, and
Studenti di Sinistra (SDS), a student association previously aligned with the
Democrats of the Left
The Democrats of the Left (, DS) was a social-democratic political party in Italy. Positioned on the centre-left, the DS, successor of the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS) and the Italian Communist Party, was formed in 1998 upon the merger ...
(DS) party, which later merged into the
Italian Democratic Party
The Italian Democratic Party (, PDI) was an Kingdom of Italy, Italian right-wing political party founded in 1944.
History
The party was founded by the union of the following clubs and movements:
* Centre of Italian Democracy (''Centro dell ...
.
RSM maintains a connection with CGIL and is active on issues related to public education, student representation, and social policies. It operates through local chapters across the country and is a member of the
Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions
The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the umbrella organization of 35 national school student unions from 24 European countries. An interlocutor with the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe a ...
(OBESSU).
Activities
Rete degli Studenti Medi cooperates with UdU, the main Italian University Students'Union and with
CGIL
The Italian General Confederation of Labour (, , CGIL ) is a national trade union centre in Italy. It was formed by an agreement between socialists, communists, and Christian democrats in the "Pact of Rome" of June 1944. In 1950, socialists and ...
, the biggest Italian Trade Union, like UdS did before 2006 and ReDS before 2008.
Since 2016, it's a Candidate Association in the
OBESSU
The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the umbrella organization of 35 national school student unions from 24 European countries. An interlocutor with the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe a ...
, and joins International campaigns and assemblies.
It was part of the National movement "L'Onda" (The Wave) against cuts to the Italian education system made by the
Berlusconi government and organized rallies in each
Italian region
The regions of Italy () are the first-level administrative divisions of the Italian Republic, constituting its second NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, five of which are autonomous regions with special status. Under the Con ...
, including the national strike promoted with the CGIL, 14 November 2008.
The idea of a new national High School Students'Union was developed at the "Student Free Camp", organized by ReDS and SDS, from 28 July 2008 to 5 August 2008 near
Latina
Latina or Latinas most often refers to:
* Latinas, a demographic group in the United States
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America.
*Latin Americans
Latina and Latinas may also refer ...
, with also the presence of ISIM members.

Rete degli Studenti Medi is part of the National Forum of the Most Representative Students'Associations that cooperates with the Italian Ministry for Education.
The association cooperates with High School Students'Unions from France (the
UNL, the UNL-SD and the SGL), from
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
(the CEF) from Ireland (
ISSU) and from
Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
(EEO) that took part to the "Revolution Camp" the National camp of Rete degli Studenti Medi and UdU, in the editions 2016 and 2017 in
Massa
Massa may refer to:
Places
Italy
*Province of Massa and Carrara, province in the Tuscany region of Italy
* Duchy of Massa and Carrara, controlled the towns of Massa di Carrara and Carrara
* Roman Catholic Diocese of Massa Marittima-Piombi ...
, Tuscany and
Montalto di Castro
Montalto di Castro is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Viterbo, in the Italian region of Lazio, located about northwest of Rome and about west of Viterbo.
It is home to a large fossil fuel powered power plant managed by Enel and t ...
, Lazio. The FMDL, National French Association of High School Students'centers, was at the Revolution Camp too, as the beginning of a cooperation about services and welfare in Italian and French High Schools. Rete degli Studenti Medi joined the National Assembly and the National Congress of the
UNL, respectively, in November 2015 and April 2016, and participated in the General Assembly of the
OBESSU
The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the umbrella organization of 35 national school student unions from 24 European countries. An interlocutor with the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe a ...
in Amsterdam, the 11 and 12 August 2016, starting the cooperation with other European Students'associations. For the first time as a Candidate Association, RSM had official delegates at the
OBESSU
The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the umbrella organization of 35 national school student unions from 24 European countries. An interlocutor with the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe a ...
Council of Members of December 2016 in
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
, Ireland, and at the
OBESSU
The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the umbrella organization of 35 national school student unions from 24 European countries. An interlocutor with the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe a ...
General Assembly 2017 in Berlin, Germany.

RSM is an official Member of
OBESSU
The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the umbrella organization of 35 national school student unions from 24 European countries. An interlocutor with the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe a ...
since the International Students'Day 2017, day of the Council of Members of
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
in which RSM Membership was approved by the other member school student unions.
Rete degli Studenti Medi gave its solidarity to Danish student unions after a call of DGS (the General High School student union) against the university reform of 2017, and to
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
n students of ANDES part of the peace process at the end of the civil war between
FARC
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army (, FARC–EP or FARC) was a Marxist–Leninist guerrilla group involved in the continuing Colombian conflict starting in 1964. The FARC-EP was officially founded in 1966 from peasan ...
and the
Government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...
of
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
.
It organizes each year rallies and cultural events to celebrate 17 November, the
International Student Day, joining international political platforms from the
OBESSU
The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the umbrella organization of 35 national school student unions from 24 European countries. An interlocutor with the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe a ...
and from
ESU.

The association promotes in many Italian cities the "Second Hand School Book Market", an event that takes place in schools and in cultural centers, to allow Italian students to buy school books spending less, because the price of school books in Italy is considered too high and it has negative effects on the inclusion of many students.
21 May, the association joins the "Day of Memory and Commitment to commemorate all victims of
Mafia
"Mafia", as an informal or general term, is often used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the Sicilian Mafia, original Mafia in Sicily, to the Italian-American Mafia, or to other Organized crime in Italy, organiz ...
s", with national rallies, for example in
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
(
Emilia Romagna
Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 million.
Emilia-Romagna is one of ...
) in 2015, in
Messina
Messina ( , ; ; ; ) is a harbour city and the capital city, capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 216,918 inhabitants ...
(Sicily) in 2016, and
Locri
Locri is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria, southern Italy. Its name derives from that of the ancient Greek region of Locris. Today it is an important administrative and cultural center on the Ion ...
(
Calabria
Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...
) in 2017 and demonstrations organised by
Libera
Libera may refer to:
* Libera (mythology), a Roman goddess of fertility
* Libera (choir), a boy vocal group from London
* ''Libera'' (film), a 1993 comedy film
* "Libera" (song), a song by Italian artist Mia Martini
* ''Libera'' (gastropod), a ...
in different Italian cities.

Rete degli Studenti Medi, with
Arci,
Libera
Libera may refer to:
* Libera (mythology), a Roman goddess of fertility
* Libera (choir), a boy vocal group from London
* ''Libera'' (film), a 1993 comedy film
* "Libera" (song), a song by Italian artist Mia Martini
* ''Libera'' (gastropod), a ...
,
CGIL
The Italian General Confederation of Labour (, , CGIL ) is a national trade union centre in Italy. It was formed by an agreement between socialists, communists, and Christian democrats in the "Pact of Rome" of June 1944. In 1950, socialists and ...
and UdU organizes the "Campi della Legalità" summer camps in nine Italian regions where volunteers can work on lands that were properties of mafia families, which now are controlled by the State and administrated by these associations. Volunteers can visit places linked with the fight against
the Mafia
"Mafia", as an informal or general term, is often used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original Mafia in Sicily, to the Italian-American Mafia, or to other organized crime groups from Italy. The central ...
and they also learn about history of the
anti-mafia
The Antimafia Commission () is a bicameral commission of the Italian Parliament, composed of members from the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic (Italy), Senate of the Republic. The first commission, formed in 1963, was established ...
movement with the help of people that are directly involved.
At a local and regional level, Rete degli Studenti Medi edits several School Students'Magazines, in particular "Il Mancino" is published in
Veneto
Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
and
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli-Venezia Giulia () is one of the 20 regions of Italy and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The regional capital is Trieste on the Gulf of Trieste, a bay of the Adriatic Sea.
Friuli-Venezia Giulia has an area of and a ...
, "Panoptes" in
Umbria
Umbria ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region of central Italy. It includes Lake Trasimeno and Cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Falls, and is crossed by the Tiber. It is the only landlocked region on the Italian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula. The re ...
and "Senza Filtro" in
Emilia Romagna
Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 million.
Emilia-Romagna is one of ...
.
Some of RSM Provincial Confederations organize cultural activities cooperating with
Arci, the biggest Italian cultural association, and there are also Circoli
Arci (local
Arci clubs) directly supported by RSM members, like in
Treviso
Treviso ( ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 87.322 inhabitants (as of December 2024). Some 3,000 live within the Venetian wall ...
, and
Caltanissetta
Caltanissetta (Sicilian language, Sicilian: ''Cartanissètta)'' is an Italian comune with a population of 58,012 inhabitants, serving as the capital of the Province of Caltanissetta, free municipal consortium of Caltanissetta in Sicily.
The earl ...
. Similar activities are organized with UdU,
CGIL
The Italian General Confederation of Labour (, , CGIL ) is a national trade union centre in Italy. It was formed by an agreement between socialists, communists, and Christian democrats in the "Pact of Rome" of June 1944. In 1950, socialists and ...
and
ANPI
(ANPI; ''National Association of Italian Partisans'') is an association founded by partisans and participants of the Italian Resistance against the Italian fascist regime and the subsequent Nazi occupation during World War II. ANPI was founded ...
.
After the Revolution Camp 2018 the National Board members are: Giammarco Manfreda (Coordinator, from
Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence.
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
), Giulia Titoli (from
Umbria
Umbria ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region of central Italy. It includes Lake Trasimeno and Cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Falls, and is crossed by the Tiber. It is the only landlocked region on the Italian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula. The re ...
), Elena Turchi (from
Emilia Romagna
Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 million.
Emilia-Romagna is one of ...
),
Rachele Scarpa (from
Veneto
Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
), Francesco Boscheri (from
Lazio
Lazio ( , ; ) or Latium ( , ; from Latium, the original Latin name, ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy. Situated in the Central Italy, central peninsular section of the country, it has 5,714,882 inhabitants an ...
) and Federico Allegretti (from
Sicily
Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
). Rachele Scarpa is also the International Officer of the Organization, representing it officially in front of organizations from other countries and in the
OBESSU
The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the umbrella organization of 35 national school student unions from 24 European countries. An interlocutor with the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe a ...
.
It is a democratic Students' Union that fights for students' rights and in favour of public secondary education for all Italian citizens. Rete degli Studenti Medi defends the values of the
Italian Constitution
The Constitution of the Italian Republic () was ratified on 22 December 1947 by the Constituent Assembly, with 453 votes in favour and 62 against, before coming into force on 1 January 1948, one century after the previous Constitution of the Ki ...
, it is against each form of discrimination, racism, fascism and
fanaticism
Fanaticism is a belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal or an obsessive enthusiasm. The political theorist Zachary R. Goldsmith provides a "cluster account" of the concept of fanaticism, identifying ten main attributes that, in various com ...
. It is not affiliated with political parties, but could be considered a leftist progressive Students' union.
[Rete degli Studenti Medi, Statuto Nazionale]
Structure
The network, inspired by
trade union federations, structures its presence at
regional
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
,
provincial
Provincial may refer to:
Government & Administration
* Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country
* Provincial city (disambiguation)
* Provincial minister (disambiguation)
* Provincial Secretary, a position in Canad ...
(confederal base) and, in those municipalities that are not provincial capitals with a high student population, at local level. The association has a national executive in order to coordinate the work of the territorial structures and to pursue demands and disputes at the national level. The provincial and regional coordinators meet in the National Coordination to discuss and define the organisation's political line.
To date, the existing regional structures are in
Basilicata
Basilicata (, ; ), also known by its ancient name Lucania (, , ), is an administrative region in Southern Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south. It has two coastlines: a 30-kilometr ...
,
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an Regions of Italy, administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia (region), Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 m ...
Lazio Liguria
Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...
,
Marche
Marche ( ; ), in English sometimes referred to as the Marches ( ) from the Italian name of the region (Le Marche), is one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. The region is located in the Central Italy, central area of the country, ...
,
Sicily
Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
,
Umbria
Umbria ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region of central Italy. It includes Lake Trasimeno and Cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Falls, and is crossed by the Tiber. It is the only landlocked region on the Italian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula. The re ...
and
Veneto
Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
. In the other regions of
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
it is present with provincial bases without a regional coordination.
National Spokesperson and Coordinator
See also
*
Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions
The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the umbrella organization of 35 national school student unions from 24 European countries. An interlocutor with the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe a ...
*
CGIL
The Italian General Confederation of Labour (, , CGIL ) is a national trade union centre in Italy. It was formed by an agreement between socialists, communists, and Christian democrats in the "Pact of Rome" of June 1944. In 1950, socialists and ...
*
Arci
References
{{Reflist
Anti-fascism
Student organisations in Italy