View source for Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

{{Short description|Senior order of merit}}
{{Redirect|OMRI|other uses|Omri (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox order
| name             = Order of Merit of the<br />Italian Republic
| native_name      = {{nobold|''Ordine al Merito della<br />Repubblica Italiana''}}
| native_name_lang = it
| image            = Stemma OMRI.png
| image_size       = 130px
| alt              = 
| caption          = Emblem of the order
| awarded_by       = the [[Italy|Italian Republic]]
| type             = [[Order of merit]]
| established      = {{Start date and age|1951|03|03|df=yes}}
| country          = Italy
| ribbon           = 
| motto            = 
| eligibility      = Civilian and military divisions
| criteria         = Meritorious service or achievement
| status           = Currently constituted
| founder          = [[Luigi Einaudi]]
| head_title       = [[Grand master (order)|Grand Master]]
| head             = [[President of Italy|President of the Republic]]
| grades           = {{plainlist|
* Knight Grand Cross with Collar
* Knight Grand Cross
* Grand Officer
* Commander
* Officer
* Knight
}}
| post-nominals    = OMRI
| former_grades    = 
| website          = {{Official URL}}
| first_induction  = 
| last_induction   = 
| total            = 
| higher           = ''None''
| lower            = [[Military Order of Italy]]
| same             = 
| related          = 
| image2           = [[File:Cavaliere OMRI BAR.svg|120px]]
| image_size2      = 
| alt2             = 
| caption2         = [[Ribbon]] of the order
}}

[[File:Ordine al merito della Repubblica Italiana.PNG|thumb|262px|Commander's badge with a ribbon bow]]
The '''Order of Merit of the Italian Republic''' ({{langx|it|Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana}}) is the most senior Italian [[order of merit]]. It was established in 1951 by the second [[President of Italy|President of the Italian Republic]], [[Luigi Einaudi]].<ref>Sainty, Guy Stair. ''World Orders of Knighthood and Merit'' (pp.&nbsp;1233–4). Buckingham: Burke's Peerage and Gentry, 2006.</ref>

The highest-ranking honour of the Republic, it is awarded for "merit acquired by the nation" in the fields of science, literature, arts, economy, public service, and social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities and for long and conspicuous service in civilian and military careers. The post-nominal letters for the order are '''OMRI'''.<ref>''The linguist: Journal of the Institute of Linguists'', Volumes 42–44 Institute of Linguists (Great Britain). Institute of Linguists, 2003, pg. 121</ref>

The order effectively replaced national orders such as the [[Civil Order of Savoy]] (1831), the [[Order of the Crown of Italy]] (1868), the [[Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus]] (1572) and the [[Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation]] (1362).{{NoteTag|Today, these continue merely as dynastic orders of the former Royal [[House of Savoy]]. Whilst their bestowal is suppressed by law in [[Italy]], the continued use of those decorations conferred prior to 1951 is permitted, exclusive of any right of precedence in official ceremonies.<ref>[http://www.governo.it/Presidenza/cerimoniale/onorificenze_araldica/onorificenze/normativa/legge178_1951.html LEGGE 3 marzo 1951, n. 178] ''Istituzione dell'Ordine "Al Merito della Repubblica Italiana" e disciplina del conferimento e dell'uso delle onorificenze'' ([[Gazzetta Ufficiale]] 30 marzo 1951, n. 73)</ref>}}

== Grades ==
Investiture takes place twice a year – on 2 June, the anniversary of the [[1946 Italian institutional referendum|foundation of the Republic]], and on 27 December, the anniversary of the promulgation of the [[Constitution of Italy|Italian Constitution]]. However, those awards on Presidential {{lang|la|[[motu proprio]]}}, related to termination of service or granted to foreigners, may be made at any time.

The badge, modified in 2001, bears the inscription {{lang|it|Al Merito della Repubblica}} encircling the [[Emblem of Italy|national coat of arms]] on the obverse and the [[Latin]] {{lang|la|Patriæ Unitati}} (for the union of the country) and {{lang|la|Civium Libertati}} (for the liberty of the citizens) encircling the head of ''[[Italia turrita]]'' on the reverse.<ref>By Decree of the President of the Republic No. 173 of 30 March 2001</ref> The six degrees with corresponding ribbons are as follows (with numbers to 2 June 2020):

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|-
!Ribbon<br />(1951–2001) !! Ribbon<br />(since 2001) !! Class (English) !! Full title in Italian !! Awards
|-
| [[File:Cordone di gran Croce di Gran Cordone OMRI BAR.svg|80px]] ||[[Image:ITA OMRI 2001 GC-GCord BAR.svg|80px]] ||Knight Grand Cross with Collar || {{lang|it|Cavaliere di Gran Croce Decorato di Gran Cordone Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana}} ||201
|-
| [[File:Cordone di gran Croce OMRI BAR.svg|80px]] ||[[File:ITA OMRI 2001 GC BAR.svg|80px]] ||1st Class / Knight Grand Cross || {{lang|it|Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana}} ||9,178
|-
| [[File:Grande ufficiale OMRI BAR.svg|80px]] ||[[File:ITA OMRI 2001 GUff BAR.svg|80px]] ||2nd Class / Grand Officer || {{lang|it|Grande Ufficiale Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana}} ||24,830
|-
| [[File:Commendatore OMRI BAR.svg|80px]] ||[[File:ITA OMRI 2001 Com BAR.svg|80px]] ||3rd Class / Commander || {{lang|it|Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana}} ||48,184
|-
| [[File:Ufficiale OMRI BAR.svg|80px]] ||[[File:ITA OMRI 2001 Uff BAR.svg|80px]] ||4th Class / Officer|| {{lang|it|Ufficiale Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana}} ||33,442
|-
| [[File:Cavaliere OMRI BAR.svg|80px]] ||[[File:ITA OMRI 2001 Cav BAR.svg|80px]] ||5th Class / Knight || {{lang|it|Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana}} ||146,390
|-
|}
The order is bestowed by decree of the [[President of Italy|President of the Italian Republic]], as head of the orders of knighthood, on the recommendation of the [[Prime Minister of Italy|President of the Council of Ministers]]. Except in exceptional circumstances, no one can be awarded for the first time a rank higher than Knight. The minimum age requirement is normally 35.

The Knight Grand Cross with Collar is awarded only to [[Head of state|heads of state]].

== Recipients ==
=== Grand Cross with Collar ===
* '''Presidency of [[Luigi Einaudi]] (12 May 1948 – 11 May 1955):'''<ref name="Insegna 11">{{cite web |url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/ricerca/insegna/11 |title=Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana |website=[[President of Italy]] }}</ref>
{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|28 December 1952 || {{GRE}} – King [[Paul of Greece|Paul I]] (1947–1964)
|-
|11 March 1953 || {{BRA}} – President [[Getúlio Vargas]] (1930–1945; 1951–1954)
|-
|30 May 1953 || {{MON}} – Prince [[Rainier III, Prince of Monaco|Rainier III]] (1949–2005)
|-
|16 July 1953 || {{LBN}} – President [[Camille Chamoun]] (1952–1958)
|-
|6 October 1953 || {{flagdeco|VEN|1930}} [[Venezuela]] – President [[Marcos Pérez Jiménez]] (1953–1958)
|-
|16 November 1953 || {{ARG}} – President [[Juan Domingo Perón]] (1946–1955; 1973–1974)
|-
|31 December 1953 || {{GER}} – President [[Theodor Heuss]] (1949–1959)
|-
|13 February 1954 || {{HAI}} – President [[Paul Magloire]] (1950–1956)
|-
|31 July 1954 || {{DOM}} – President [[Rafael Trujillo]] (1930–1938; 1942–1952)
|-
|6 September 1954 || {{CHI}} – President [[Carlos Ibanez del Campo]] (1927–1931; 1952–1958)
|-
|17 November 1954 || {{flagdeco|SMOM}} [[Sovereign Order of Malta]] – Lieutenant Grand Master [[Antonio Hercolani Fava Simonetti|Fra' Antonio Hercolani Fava Simonetti]] (1951–1955)
|-
|6 December 1954 || {{FRA}} – President [[René Coty]] (1954–1959)
|-
|12 February 1955 || {{ELS}} – President [[Óscar Osorio]] (1950–1956)
|}

* '''Presidency of [[Giovanni Gronchi]] (11 May 1955 – 11 May 1962):'''<ref name="Insegna 11"/>

{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|11 May 1955 || {{ITA}} – Former President [[Luigi Einaudi]] (1948–1955)
|-
|21 October 1955 || {{ETH}} – Emperor [[Haile Selassie]] (1930–1974)
|-
|16 January 1956 || {{BRA}} – President [[Juscelino Kubitschek]] (1956–1961)
|-
|5 June 1956 || {{ITA}} – Former President [[Enrico De Nicola]] (1946–1948)
|-
|20 September 1956 || {{LBR}} – President [[William Tubman]] (1944–1971)
|-
|15 November 1956 || {{PER}} – President [[Manuel Prado Ugarteche]] (1939–1945; 1956–1962)
|-
|18 January 1957 || {{CRC}} – President [[José Figueres Ferrer]] (1948–1949; 1953–1958; 1970–1974)
|-
|6 March 1957 || {{flagicon|SMOM}} [[Sovereign Military Order of Malta|Order of Malta]] – Lieutenant Grand Master [[Ernesto Paternò Castello di Carcaci|Fra' Ernesto Paternò Castello di Carcaci]] (1955–1962)
|-
|11 March 1957 || {{IRL}} — President [[Seán T. O'Kelly]] (1945–1959)
|-
|13 May 1957 || {{TUR}} – President [[Celal Bayar]] (1950–1960)
|-
|11 June 1957 || {{PAN}} – President [[Ernesto de la Guardia]] (1956–1960)
|-
|26 August 1957 || {{flagcountry|Pahlavi dynasty}} – Shah [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]] (1941–1979)
|-
|1 October 1957 || {{ELS}} – President [[José María Lemus]] (1956–1960)
|-
|9 May 1958 || {{UK}} – Queen [[Elizabeth II]] (1952–2022)
|-
|16 June 1959 || {{FRA}} – President [[Charles De Gaulle]] (1959–1969)
|-
|11 June 1960 || {{ARG}} – President [[Arturo Frondizi]] (1958–1962)
|-
|8 September 1960 || {{FIN}} – President [[Urho Kaleva Kekkonen]] (1956–1982)
|-
|22 September 1960 || {{THA}} – King [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]] (1946–2016)
|-
|29 November 1960 || {{URU}} – President [[Benito Nardone]] (1960–1961)
|-
|6 April 1961 || {{URU}} – President [[Eduardo Víctor Haedo]] (1961–1962)
|}

* '''Presidency of [[Antonio Segni]] (11 May 1962 – 6 December 1964):'''<ref name="Insegna 11"/>

{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|25 May 1962 || {{TUN}} – President [[Habib Bourguiba]] (1957–1987)
|-
|2 October 1962 || {{SEN}} – President [[Léopold Sédar Senghor]] (1960–1980)
|-
|8 October 1962 || {{flagicon|SMOM}} [[Sovereign Military Order of Malta|Order of Malta]] – Prince and Grand Master [[Angelo de Mojana di Cologna|Fra' Angelo de Mojana di Cologna]] (1962–1988)
|-
|27 November 1962 || {{GRE}} – Crown Prince [[Constantine II of Greece|Constantine]] 
|-
|25 September 1963 || {{GHA}} – President [[Kwame Nkrumah]] (1960–1966)
|-
|2 October 1963 || {{SOM}} – President [[Aden Adde]] (1960–1967)
|-
|20 April 1964 || {{DEN}} – King [[Frederik IX of Denmark|Frederik IX]] (1947–1972)
|-
|18 June 1964 || {{URU}} – President [[Luis Giannattasio]] (1964–1965)
|}

* '''Presidency of [[Giuseppe Saragat]] (29 December 1964 – 29 December 1971)''':<ref name="Insegna 11"/>

{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|16 June 1965 || {{PER}} – President [[Fernando Belaúnde Terry]] (1963–1968; 1980–1985)
|-
|20 June 1965 || {{MEX}} – President [[Gustavo Díaz Ordaz]] (1964–1970)
|-
|21 June 1965 || {{NOR}} – King [[Olav V of Norway|Olav V]] (1957–1991)
|-
|2 July 1965 || {{CHI}} – President [[Eduardo Frei Montalva]] (1964–1970)
|-
|8 August 1965 || {{GER}} – President [[Heinrich Lübke]] (1959–1969)
|-
|rowspan=3|8 September 1965 || {{flagdeco|VEN|1930}} [[Venezuela]] – President [[Raúl Leoni]] (1964–1969)
|-
|{{ARG}} – President [[Arturo Umberto Illia]] (1963–1966)
|-
|{{BRA}} – President [[Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco]] (1964–1967)
|-
|21 October 1965 || {{flagcountry|PPR}} – Chairman of the Council of State [[Edward Ochab]] (1964–1968)
|-
|11 June 1966 || {{BEL}} – King [[Baudouin of Belgium|Baudouin]] (1951–1993)
|-
|14 June 1966 || {{SWE}} – King [[Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden|Gustaf VI Adolf]] (1950–1973)
|-
|28 November 1966 || {{ELS}} – President [[Julio Adalberto Rivera Carballo]] (1962–1967)
|-
|20 March 1968 || {{YEM}} – Former Vice President [[:ar:محمد_قائد_سيف|General Mohamed Kaid Saif Qubaty]] (1963–1964)
|-
|8 August 1969 || {{CIV}} – President [[Félix Houphouët-Boigny]] (1960–1993)
|-
|2 October 1969 || {{YUG}} – President [[Josip Broz Tito]] (1953–1980)
|}

* '''Presidency of [[Giovanni Leone]] (29 December 1971 – 15 June 1978)''':<ref name="Insegna 11"/>

{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|30 December 1971 || {{AUT}} – President [[Franz Jonas]] (1965–1974)
|-
|23 November 1972 || {{IDN}} – President [[Suharto]] (1968–1998)
|-
|21 March 1973 || {{GER}} – President [[Gustav Heinemann]] (1969–1974)
|-
|8 May 1973 || {{ZAI}} – President [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] (1965–1997)
|-
|21 May 1973 || {{ROU}} – President of the State Council [[Nicolae Ceaușescu]] (1967–1989)
|-
|8 June 1973 || {{SAU}} – King [[Faisal of Saudi Arabia|Faisal]] (1964–1975)
|-
|1 October 1973 || {{FRA}} – President [[Georges Pompidou]] (1969–1974)
|-
|rowspan=2|23 October 1973 || {{NED}} – Queen [[Juliana of the Netherlands|Juliana]] (1948–1980)
|-
|{{NED}} – Prince [[Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld|Bernhard]] (1948–1980)
|-
|26 October 1973 || {{LUX}} – Grand Duke [[Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg|Jean]] (1964–2000)
|-
|21 November 1973 || {{GAB}} – President [[Omar Bongo]] (1967–2009)
|-
|8 February 1974 || {{MEX}} – President [[Luis Echeverría]] (1970–1976)
|-
|22 April 1974 || {{OMA}} – Sultan [[Qaboos bin Said al Said]] (1970–2020)
|-
|rowspan=2|15 December 1974 || {{flagcountry|Pahlavi dynasty}} – Prince [[Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran|Reza Pahlavi]]
|-
|{{flagcountry|Pahlavi dynasty}} – Shahbanu [[Farah Pahlavi]] (1961–1979)
|-
|6 April 1976 || {{flagdeco|EGY|1972}} – President [[Anwar Sadat]] (1970–1981)
|-
|17 November 1976 || {{flagdeco|VEN|1930}} – President [[Carlos Andrés Pérez]] (1974–1979; 1989–1993)
|-
|8 November 1977 || {{DEN}} – Queen [[Margrethe II of Denmark|Margrethe II]] (1972–2024)
|-
|29 April 1978 || {{TUR}} – President [[Fahri Korutürk]] (1973–1980)
|}

* '''Presidency of [[Sandro Pertini]] (9 July 1978 – 29 June 1985):'''<ref name="Insegna 11"/>

{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|18 September 1979 || {{GER}} – President [[Karl Carstens]] (1979–1984)
|-
|14 May 1980 || {{POR}} – President [[António Ramalho Eanes]] (1976–1986)
|-
|26 May 1980 || {{flagdeco|ESP|1977}} [[Spain]] – King [[Juan Carlos of Spain|Juan Carlos I]] (1975–2014)
|-
|18 November 1980 || {{GRE}} – President [[Konstantinos Karamanlis]] (1980–1985; 1990–1995)
|-
|17 December 1980 || {{YUG}} – President [[Cvijetin Mijatović]] (1980–1981)
|-
|rowspan=2|30 March 1981 || {{MEX}} – President [[José López Portillo]] (1976–1982)
|-
|{{CRC}} – President [[Rodrigo Carazo Odio]] (1978–1982)
|-
|1 April 1981 || {{COL}} – President [[Julio César Turbay Ayala]] (1978–1982)
|-
|14 October 1981 || {{MOZ}} – President [[Samora Machel]] (1975–1986)
|-
|30 January 1982 || {{flagdeco|EGY|1977}} [[Egypt]] – President [[Hosni Moubarak]] (1981–2011)
|-
|9 March 1982 || {{JAP}} – Emperor [[Hirohito]] (1926–1989)
|-
|5 July 1982 || {{FRA}} – President [[François Mitterrand]] (1981–1995)
|-
|26 November 1983 || {{JOR}} – King [[Hussein of Jordan|Hussein]] (1952–1999)
|-
|20 June 1984 || {{CRC}} – President [[Luis Alberto Monge]] (1982–1986)
|-
|11 March 1985 || {{ARG}} – President [[Raúl Alfonsín]] (1983–1989)
|-
|rowspan=2|27 March 1985 || {{NED}} – Queen [[Beatrix of the Netherlands|Beatrix]] (1980–2013)
|-
|{{NED}} – Prince [[Prince Claus of the Netherlands|Claus]] (1980–2002)
|}

* '''Presidency of [[Francesco Cossiga]] (3 July 1985 – 28 April 1992):'''<ref name="Insegna 11"/>

{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|24 April 1986 || {{GER}} – President [[Richard von Weizsäcker]] (1984–1994)
|-
|25 July 1986 || {{IRL}} – President [[Patrick John Hillery]] (1976–1990)
|-
|5 October 1987 || {{ISL}} – President [[Vigdís Finnbogadóttir]] (1980–1996)
|-
|6 June 1988 || {{flagdeco|VEN|1930}} [[Venezuela]] – President [[Jaime Lusinchi]] (1984–1989)
|-
|16 June 1988 || {{PHI}} – President [[Corazon Aquino]] (1986–1992)
|-
|5 April 1989 || {{POR}} – President [[Mario Soares]] (1986–1996)
|-
|12 May 1989 || {{POL}} – President [[Wojciech Jaruzelski]] (1989–1990)
|-
|22 May 1990 || {{flagdeco|SMOM}} [[Sovereign Military Order of Malta|Order of Malta]] – Prince and Grand Master [[Andrew Bertie|Fra' Andrew Bertie]] (1988–2008)
|-
|rowspan=2|11 June 1990 || {{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Ottaviano Rossi]] (1990)
|-
| {{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Aldemiro Bartolini]] (1990)
|-
|8 April 1991 || {{SWE}} – King [[Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden|Carl XVI Gustav]] (1973–''incumbent'')
|-
|17 April 1991 || {{CHI}} – President [[Patricio Aylwin]] (1990–1994)
|-
|15 July 1991 || {{HUN}} – President [[Árpád Göncz]] (1990–2000)
|-
|18 September 1991 || {{MLT}} – President [[Censu Tabone]] (1989–1994)
|-
|19 December 1991 || {{RUS}} – President [[Boris Yeltsin]] (1991–1999)
|-
|28 April 1992 || {{ITA}} – President [[Francesco Cossiga]] (1985–1992) <small>''self-awarded''</small>
|}

* '''Presidency of [[Oscar Luigi Scalfaro]] (25 May 1992 – 15 May 1999):'''<ref name="Insegna 11"/>

{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|5 October 1992 || {{ARG}} – President [[Carlos Menem]] (1989–1999)
|-
|27 January 1993 || {{AUT}} – President [[Thomas Klestil]] (1992–2004)
|-
|14 September 1993 || {{FIN}} – President [[Mauno Koivisto]] (1982–1994)
|-
|3 May 1995 || {{UKR}} – President [[Leonid Kuchma]] (1994–2005)
|-
|24 June 1995 || {{BRA}} – President [[Fernando Henrique Cardoso]] (1995–2002)
|-
|29 June 1995 || {{flagdeco|VEN|1930}} [[Venezuela]] – President [[Rafael Caldera]] (1994–1999)
|-
|19 July 1995 || {{CHI}} – President [[Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle]] (1994–2000)
|-
|21 July 1995 || {{URU}} – President [[Julio María Sanguinetti]] (1985–1990; 1995–2000)
|-
|16 November 1995 || {{MLT}} – President [[Ugo Mifsud Bonnici]] (1994–1999)
|-
|26 March 1996 || {{MEX}} – President [[Ernesto Zedillo]] (1994–2000)
|-
|23 April 1996 || {{ALB}} – President [[Sali Berisha]] (1992–1997)
|-
|28 May 1996 || {{POL}} – President [[Aleksander Kwaśniewski]] (1995–2005)
|-
|7 October 1996 || {{TUR}} – President [[Süleyman Demirel]] (1993–2000)
|-
|28 January 1997 || {{FIN}} – President [[Martti Ahtisaari]] (1994–2000)
|-
|20 April 1997 || {{GER}} – President [[Roman Herzog]] (1994–1999)
|-
|2 May 1997 || {{UZB}} – President [[Islam Karimov]] (1991–2016)
|-
|4 May 1997 || {{KAZ}} – President [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] (1990–2019)
|-
|20 May 1997 || {{LIT}} – President [[Algirdas Brazauskas]] (1992–1998)
|-
|21 May 1997 || {{LAT}} – President [[Guntis Ulmanis]] (1993–1999)
|-
|22 May 1997 || {{EST}} – President [[Lennart Meri]] (1992–2001)
|-
|19 July 1997 || {{SAU}} – King [[Fahd of Saudi Arabia|Fahd]] (1982–2005)
|-
|5 November 1997 || {{LBN}} – President [[Elias Hrawi]] (1989–1998)
|-
|13 November 1997 || {{SVK}} – President [[Michal Kovac]] (1993–1998)
|-
|rowspan=2|3 March 1998 || {{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Marino Zanotti]] (1998)
|-
|{{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Luigi Mazza]] (1998)
|-
|12 April 1998 || {{JAP}} – Emperor [[Akihito]] (1989–2019)
|-
|12 May 1998 || {{BEL}} – King [[Albert II of Belgium|Albert II]] (1993–2013)
|-
|19 January 1999 || {{DOM}} – President [[Leonel Fernández]] (1996–2000; 2008–2012)
|-
|19 February 1999 || {{flagcountry|Palestine}} – President [[Yasser Arafat]] (1994–2004)
|-
|23 February 1999 || {{LIT}} – President [[Valdas Adamkus]] (1998–2003; 2004–2009)
|}

* '''Presidency of [[Carlo Azeglio Ciampi]] (18 May 1999 – 15 May 2006):'''<ref name="Insegna 11"/>

{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|21 October 1999 || {{FRA}} – President [[Jacques Chirac]] (1995–2007)
|-
|15 November 1999 || {{ALG}} – President [[Abdelaziz Bouteflika]] (1999–2019)
|-
|2 March 2000 || {{KOR}} – President [[Kim Dae-Jung]] (1998–2003)
|-
|3 March 2000 || {{CHI}} – President [[Ricardo Lagos]] (2000–2006)
|-
|11 April 2000 || {{MOR}} – King [[Mohammed VI of Morocco|Mohammed VI]] (1999–''incumbent'')
|-
|26 April 2000 || {{QAT}} – Emir [[Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani]] (1995–2013)
|-
|23 January 2001 || {{GRE}} – President [[Konstantinos Stephanopoulos]] (1995–2005)
|-
|9 February 2001 || {{JOR}} – King [[Abdullah II of Jordan|Abdullah II]] (1999–''incumbent'')
|-
|rowspan=2|7 March 2001 || {{ARG}} – President [[Fernando de la Rúa]] (1999–2001)
|-
|{{URU}} – President [[Jorge Batlle]] (2000–2005)
|-
|19 October 2001 || {{NOR}} – King [[Harald V of Norway|Harald V]] (1991–''incumbent'')
|-
|27 November 2001 || {{POR}} – President [[Jorge Sampaio]] (1996–2006)
|-
|14 January 2002 || {{SCG}} – President [[Vojislav Koštunica]] (2000–2003)
|-
|6 March 2002 || {{RSA}} – President [[Thabo Mbeki]] (1999–2008)
|-
|rowspan=2|11 March 2002 || {{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Gino Giovagnoli]] (2002)
|-
|{{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Alberto Cecchetti]] (2002)
|-
|22 March 2002 || {{GER}} – President [[Johannes Rau]] (1999–2004)
|-
|27 March 2002 || {{CZE}} – President [[Vaclav Havel]] (1993–2003)
|-
|17 June 2002 || {{HUN}} – President [[Ferenc Mádl]] (2000–2005)
|-
|28 June 2002 || {{SVK}} – President [[Rudolf Schuster]] (1999–2004)
|-
|4 December 2002 || {{PER}} – President [[Alejandro Toledo]] (2001–2006)
|-
|14 March 2003 || {{LUX}} – Grand Duke [[Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg|Henri]] (2000–''incumbent'')
|-
|9 June 2003 || {{MAS}} – King [[Sirajuddin of Perlis]] (2001–2006)
|-
|16 January 2004 || {{MLT}} – President [[Guido de Marco]] (1999–2004)
|-
|rowspan=2|8 April 2004 || {{LAT}} – President [[Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga]] (1999–2007)
|-
|{{EST}} – President [[Arnold Rüütel]] (2001–2006)
|-
|5 April 2005 || {{BUL}} – President [[Georgi Parvanov]] (2002–2012)
|-
|11 May 2005 || {{MLT}} – President [[Edward Fenech Adami]] (2004–2009)
|-
|12 December 2005 || {{MON}} – [[Albert II, Prince of Monaco]] (2005–''incumbent'')
|-
|18 January 2006 || {{GRE}} – President [[Karolos Papoulias]] (2005–2015)
|-
|15 March 2006 || {{GER}} – President [[Horst Köhler]] (2004–2010)
|}

* '''Presidency of [[Giorgio Napolitano]] (15 May 2006 – 14 January 2015):'''<ref name="Insegna 11"/>
{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|11 October 2006 || {{GHA}} – President [[John Kufuor|John Agyekum Kufour]] (2001–2009)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=195690 KUFUOR John Agyekum Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|20 February 2007 || {{SVK}} – President [[Ivan Gašparovič]] (2004–2014)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=218553 GASPAROVIC Ivan Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|8 June 2007 || {{AUT}} – President [[Heinz Fischer]] (2004–2016)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=244655 FISCHER Heinz Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|9 October 2007 || {{CHL}} – President [[Michelle Bachelet]] (2006–2010; 2014–2018)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=244583 BACHELET JERIA Verónica Michelle decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|30 October 2007 || {{SAU}} – King [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz al Saud]] (2005–2015)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=244585 BIN ABDUL AZIZ AL SAUD Abdallah decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|1 September 2008 || {{FIN}} – President [[Tarja Halonen]] (2000–2012)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=297654 HALONEN Tarja Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|14 October 2008 || {{LIB}} – President [[Michel Suleiman]] (2008–2014)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=297676 SLEIMAN Michel Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|27 October 2008 || {{flagicon|SMOM}} [[Sovereign Military Order of Malta|Order of Malta]] – Prince and Grand Master [[Matthew Festing|Fra' Matthew Festing]] (2008–2017)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=297677 FESTING Matthew Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|2 September 2009 || {{KOR}} – President [[Lee Myung-bak]] (2008–2013)<ref>Italian Presidency website,
 [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=306415 LEE Myung-bak Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|30 October 2009 || {{TUR}} – President [[Abdullah Gül]] (2007–2014)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=306430 S.E. Abdullah Gul – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|11 March 2010 || {{flagicon|Ba'athist Syria}} – {{strike|President [[Bashar al-Assad]] (2000–2024)}}<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=311336 Al-Assad S.E. Bashar Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><br /><small>Revoked by the President of the Republic on 28 September 2012 for "indignity"</small><ref>[http://banchedati.camera.it/sindacatoispettivo_16/showXhtml.asp?highLight=0&idAtto=57321&stile=8 ATTO CAMERA INTERROGAZIONE A RISPOSTA SCRITTA 4/17085] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018150440/http://banchedati.camera.it/sindacatoispettivo_16/showXhtml.asp?highLight=0&idAtto=57321&stile=8 |date=18 October 2015 }} Banchedati.camera.it {{in lang|it}}</ref>
|-
|25 April 2010 || {{MLT}} – President [[George Abela]] (2009–2014)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=311335 S.E. George Abela – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|26 April 2010 || {{KUW}} – Emir [[Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah]] (2006–2020)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=311334 AL-AHMAD AL-JABER AL-SABAH Sabah Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|11 January 2011 || {{SLO}} – President [[Danilo Türk]] (2007–2012)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=313859 S.E. Danilo Türk – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|6 July 2011 || {{CRO}} – President [[Ivo Josipović]] (2010–2015)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=314515 S.E. Ivo Josipovic – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|7 September 2011 || {{ROM}} – President [[Traian Băsescu]] (2004–2014)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=320002 S.E. Traian Basescu – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|10 June 2012 || {{POL}} – President [[Bronisław Komorowski]] (2010–2015)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=323186 S.E. Bronislaw Komorowski – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|15 November 2012 || {{FRA}} – President [[François Hollande]] (2012–2017)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=324322 S.E. François Hollande – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|20 February 2013 || {{GER}} – President [[Joachim Gauck]] (2012–2017)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=324595 Gauck S.E. Joachim – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|4 March 2014 || {{ALB}} – President [[Bujar Nishani]] (2012–2017)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=331774 S.E. Bujar Nishani – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|5 May 2014 || {{SVN}} – President [[Borut Pahor]] (2012–2022)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/331779 Pahor S.E. Borut – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |4 June 2014 || {{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Luca Beccari]] (2014)
|-
|{{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Valeria Ciavatta]] (2014)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/331781 Beccari S.E. Luca – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/331782 Ciavatta S.E. Valeria – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|}

* '''Presidency of [[Sergio Mattarella]] (3 February 2015–''incumbent''): '''

{|class="wikitable"
!Date
!Recipient 
|-
|23 November 2015 || {{GRE}} – President [[Prokopis Pavlopoulos]] (2015–2020)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/338389/|title=Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana|website=quirinale.it}}</ref>
|-
|11 March 2016 || {{CMR}} – President [[Paul Biya]] (1982–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/341232 Biya S.E. Paul – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|30 May 2016 || {{ROU}} – President [[Klaus Iohannis]] (2014–2025)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/341234 Iohannis S.E. Klaus Werner – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|21 June 2016 || {{MEX}} – President [[Enrique Peña Nieto]] (2012–2018)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/341235 Peña Nieto S.E. Enrique – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|4 August 2016 || {{BUL}} – President [[Rosen Plevneliev]] (2012–2017)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/341237 Plevneliev S.E. Rosen – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|23 January 2017 || {{TUN}} – President [[Beji Caid Essebsi]] (2014–2019)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/342297 Essebsi S.E. Sig. Béji Caïd – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|2 May 2017 || {{ARG}} – President [[Mauricio Macri]] (2015–2019)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/317538 Macri S.E. Mauricio – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|19 June 2017 || {{NED}} – King [[Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands|Willem-Alexander]] (2013–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website, [http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=346764 S.M. Willem Alexander Claus George van Oranje-Nassau – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|7 September 2017 || {{MLT}} – President [[Marie Louise Coleiro Preca]] (2014–2019)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/348259 Coleiro Preca S.E. Marie-Louise – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|18 September 2017 || {{FIN}} – President [[Sauli Niinistö]] (2012–2024)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/297659 Niinistö S.E. Sauli – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|29 November 2017 || {{POR}} – President [[Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa]] (2016–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[http://www.quirinale.it/elementi/DettaglioOnorificenze.aspx?decorato=348261 S.E. Marcelo Nuno Duarte – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|5 June 2018 || {{EST}} – President [[Kersti Kaljulaid]] (2016–2021)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/351488 Kalijulaid S.E. la Signora Kersti Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|22 June 2018 || {{LTU}} – President [[Dalia Grybauskaitė]] (2009–2019)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/351490 Grybauskaitè Sig.ra Dalia Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|26 June 2018 || {{LAT}} – President [[Raimonds Vējonis]] (2015–2019)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/351492 Vejonis S.E. Sig. Raimonds Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|12 July 2018 || {{AZE}} – President [[Ilham Aliyev]] (2003–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/351493 Aliyev S.E. Ilham Heydar Oglu Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|25 July 2018 || {{ARM}} – President [[Armen Sarkissian]] (2018–2022)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/357141 Sarkissian S.E. Sig. Armen Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|27 June 2019 || {{AUT}} – President [[Alexander Van der Bellen]] (2017–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/358308 Van der Bellen S.E. Sig. Alexander  Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|17 September 2019 || {{GER}} – President [[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]] (2017–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/360243 Steinmeier S.E. Frank-Walter – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|6 October 2020 || {{GRE}} – President [[Katerina Sakellaropoulou]] (2020–2025)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/363557 Sakellaropoulou S.E. Katerina – Decorato di Gran Cordone]  – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |16 June 2021 || {{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Marco Nicolini]] (2021)
|-
|{{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Gian Carlo Venturini]] (2021)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/368176 Nicolini S.E. Marco – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/368177 Venturini S.E. Gian Carlo – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|1 July 2021 || {{FRA}} – President [[Emmanuel Macron]] (2017–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/368180 Macron S.E.Emmanuel – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|rowspan=2|25 October 2021 || {{ESP}} – King [[Felipe VI]] (2014–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/370370 S.M. Felipe VI Re di Spagna – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|{{BEL}} – King [[Philippe of Belgium|Philippe]] (2013–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/370369 S.M. Filippo Re dei Belgi – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|3 November 2021 || {{ALG}} – President [[Abdelmadjid Tebboune]] (2019–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/370372 Tebboune S.E. Abdelmadjid – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|1 June 2022 || {{GEO}} – President [[Salome Zourabichvili]] (2018–Disputed)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/375441 Zourabichvili S.E. Salome – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|12 January 2023 || {{PAR}} – President [[Mario Abdo Benítez]] (2018–2023)<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1578313 Benítez S.E. Mario Abdo – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|13 April 2023 || {{POL}} – President [[Andrzej Duda]] (2015–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1584235 Duda S.E. Andrzej – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|19 May 2023 || {{ANG}} – President [[João Lourenço]] (2017–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1584238 Lourenço S.E. João – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|5 June 2023 || {{IRQ}} – President [[Abdul Latif Rashid]] (2022–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1584248 Rashid S.E. Abdul Latif – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|7 October 2023 || {{KOR}} – President [[Yoon Suk Yeol]] (2022–2025)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1589635 S.E. Yoon Suk Yeol – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.quirinale.it/elementi/102025#&gid=1&pid=11/ | title=Incontro con il Presidente della Repubblica di Corea, Yoon Suk Yeol, in occasione della visita di Stato }}</ref>
|-
|21 November 2023 || {{flagicon|SMOM}} [[Sovereign Military Order of Malta|Order of Malta]] – Prince and Grand Master [[John Timothy Dunlap]] (2023–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website, [https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1589636 DUNLAP John Timothy Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |6 December 2023 || {{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Filippo Tamagnini]] (2023–2024)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1589637 S.E. Filippo Tamagnini – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|{{SMR}} – Captain Regent [[Gaetano Troina]] (2023–2024)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1589638 S.E. Gaetano Troina – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.quirinale.it/elementi/103615#&gid=1&pid=7/ | title=Visita di Stato nella Repubblica di San Marino }}</ref>
|-
|14 February 2024 || {{CYP}} – President [[Nikos Christodoulides]] (2023–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1589639 S.E. Nikos Christodoulides – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pio.gov.cy/en/gallery.html?galAlbum=5674#gallery-28/ | title=Photo Gallery - Pio | date=12 February 2024 }}</ref>
|-
|18 March 2024 || {{MLT}} – President [[George William Vella]] (2019–2024)<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1589640 VELLA S.E. George William – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref>
|-
|10 April 2024 || {{BUL}} – President [[Rumen Radev]] (2017–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1592581 S.E. Rumen Radev – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.quirinale.it/elementi/110838#&gid=1&pid=2/ | title=Visita alla Base militare di Novo Selo }}</ref>
|-
|16 October 2024 || {{QAT}} – Emir [[Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani]] (2013–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1595988 Bin Hamad Al Thani S.A. Sheikh Tamim – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>https://x.com/AmiriDiwan/status/1848464879759265989/photo/3/</ref>
|-
|7 February 2025 ||  {{SVN}} – President [[Nataša Pirc Musar]] (2022–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1595989 S.E. Nataša Pirc Musar – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>https://www.quirinale.it/elementi/127377#&gid=1&pid=7/</ref>
|-
|14 February 2025 ||  {{MNE}} – President [[Jakov Milatović]] (2023–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1595990 S.E. Jakov Milatović – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>https://www.quirinale.it/elementi/128447/</ref>
|-
|19 February 2025 ||  {{UAE}} – President Sheikh [[Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan]] (2022–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1595991 S.A. Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>https://www.quirinale.it/elementi/128599#&gid=1&pid=11/</ref>
|-
|1 April 2025 || {{EST}} – President [[Alar Karis]] (2021–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1595992 S.E. Alar Karis – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>https://www.quirinale.it/elementi/130225#&gid=1&pid=12/</ref>
|-
|4 April 2025 || {{GBR}} – King [[Charles III]] (2022–''incumbent'')<ref>Italian Presidency website,[https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1595993 S.M. il Re Carlo III – Decorato di Gran Cordone] – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first= |last= |title=Il Presidente Mattarella ha ricevuto le Loro Maestà Carlo III e Camilla |url=https://www.quirinale.it/elementi/130333 |work=[[The Times]] |date=8 April 2025 |access-date=8 April 2025}}</ref>
|}

== Wearer's guide ==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Divisa.OMRI.1.png|Wearer's guide for each grade (1951–2001)
</gallery>
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Divisa.OMRI.2.png|Wearer's guide for each grade (2001–present)
</gallery>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:OrdMeritRepubbItal.JPG|Comparison of the pre-2001 (at left) and the {{nowrap|post-2001}} (at right) badges of the Order
File:Collection of all Orders of Merit of the Italian Republic (Pre-2001).jpg|All grades of the Order (pre-2001)
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - All Grades.jpg|Five grades of the Order
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer, Knight and Document (Pre-2001).jpg|The pre-2001 grades of the Order
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - All five grades sets (Pre-2001).jpg|Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer and Grand Cross grades
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Knight & Officer sets (Pre-2001).png|Knights and Officer Classes of the Order
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Knight and Officer grades (Pre-2001).png|Knight 5th Class and Officer 4th Class grades
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Knight & Officer (Pre-2001).png|Sets of the Knight and Officer classes
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Commander grade (Pre-2001).png|Commander 3rd Class of the Order
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Commander (Pre-2001).png|Commander set in case
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Commander set (Pre-2001).png|3rd Class set of the Order
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Grand Officer set (Pre-2001).png|Bestowal document of a Grand Officer grade with the insignia
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Grand Officer (Pre-2001).png|Grand Officer set of insignia with the bestowal document
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Grand Cross set.png|Grand Cross set of insignia
File:Italy - Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Grand Cross (Pre-2001).png|The Grand Cross grade of the Order in case of issue
File:Order of Merit of the Italian Republic grand cross collar badge (Italy 1954-1960) - Tallinn Museum of Orders.jpg|Collar of the Order (pre-2001)
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Italy]]
* [[Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus]]
* [[Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation]]

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.quirinale.it/page/omri Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana] – Presidenza della Repubblica {{in lang|it}}
* [http://www.ordinidinasticicasasavoia.it Ordini dinastici della Real Casa di Savoia] {{in lang|it}}

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{{Italian orders of knighthood}}

[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic| ]]
[[Category:Civil awards and decorations of Italy]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1951|Italian Republic, Order of Merit of the]]
[[Category:Orders of chivalry awarded to heads of state, consorts and sovereign family members|Merit of the Italian Republic, Order of]]
[[Category:1951 establishments in Italy]]
[[Category:Orders of merit]]