  The matter content of the Standard Model admits a global symmetry due to the
generational structure of the spectrum respected by all interactions except for
fermion couplings to the Higgs doublet. This symmetry is identified as the
largest possible global symmetry of the free theory and extended to the case of
massive neutrinos. The violation of such symmetry is then assumed dynamical and
the value of the Yukawa couplings is fixed by a variational principle. This
ansatz yields compelling results: Quark Yukawas naturally accommodate
hierarchical masses and small mixing whereas Lepton Yukawas exhibit a
hierarchical pattern for charged leptons and simultaneously degeneracy in the
neutrino sector correlated with large mixing and Majorana phases. The
difference in the mixing patterns of Quark and Leptons in this scheme stem from
the Dirac vs Majorana nature of fermions.
