The crucifix must disappear from Italian classrooms, the European court of human rights (ECHR) has ruled. It's a religious symbol that violates the right of parents to educate children according to their principles. "The court," reads the sentence "cannot see how the exposition in schools of a symbol that is reasonable to associate with Catholicism could serve pluralism in education, which is essential to preserve a democratic society."

This is not an unreasonable conclusion, and in fact in a pluralist society children should not be forced to attend schools where symbols not belonging to their religion are displayed. But there is one key argument against the ruling: hanging the crucifix in Italian classrooms is the result of a legal and political agreement between the state and the Catholic church.

In article 7, the Italian constitution reads: "The state and the church are, each one in its own domain, independent and sovereign. Their relationships are regulated by the Patti Lateranensi". That's the Lateran treaty, the agreement reached in 1929 between Mussolini and the Cardinal Pietro Gasparri which established a framework for mutual recognition and cohabitation of the secular and the religious domains within the Italian state. The agreement, among other things, states that crucifixes must hang in every classroom and tribunal in the country.

The ECHR's ruling says exactly the opposite. But because of the superiority of the court according to Italian law, it has the power to supercede national regulation. And so this religious matter has turned into a political one that concerns not only Italians but all Europeans.

Quite from the Vatican's reaction – which labelled the ruling "short-sighted" and "ideological" – the ruling provoked raised concern on every political side has generated a lively debate.

Raimondo Soragni, mayor of a small town in the north of Italy, Finale Emilia, near Modena, said that he's ready to sign a law responding to the European court's decision, imposing the crucifix in every classroom in his town. "A court cannot decide on matters not belonging to it", he said. "The crucifix doesn't harm anyone's dignity. It is one of the cultural references of our nation. I cannot accept that an entity outside Italy decides on the cultural conduct of our state."

In Italy the ruling has not pitted Catholics and non-Catholics against one another. Instead, what has emerged is a single strong coalition against the European court's ruling. Politicians feel that defending the crucifix amounts to defending Italian identity and culture. That's the issue now; the need for children to receive a secular education or to grow up in an "pluralist" environment is not now being debated.

Pierluigi Bersani, leader of the main leftwing opposition, the Democratic party, said "On delicate matters such as this, common sense risks falling victim to the law. An ancient tradition like the crucifix cannot be offensive to anyone."

"The secularisation of the state [isn't incompatible with] the role of Christianity in Italian society and culture", said Gianfranco Fini, speaker of the lower house.

Italy defends its culture and traditions, which includes Christianity and, in the specific case, a symbol which is not considered to jeopardise the separation between church and state. Europe, on the contrary, looks at general guidelines to be imposed across the board. This is struggle with many ramifications.