 The legality of this action (according to the law in force at the time) is debated, as the Corte di Cassazione already declared a republican victory, at the same time stating that further data were to be analyzed.The conservative, rural "Mezzogiorno" (southern Italy) region voted solidly for the monarchy (63.8%) while the more urbanised and industrialised "Nord" (northern Italy) voted equally firmly for a republic (66.2%).The republic was formally proclaimed on 6 June 1946 days later, ending King Umberto II's brief 34-day reign as king.