Italy is intentionally undermining democracy, report says

Rome: With its “heavy intolerance to media criticism” and judicial reforms that have “profoundly undermined” the rule of law, Italy stands as a clear example of Europe’s deepening “democratic recession,” according to a report by advocacy group Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties).

The report names Italy as one of five EU “dismantlers” -alongside Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Slovakia- that “intentionally undermine the rule of law in nearly all aspects.” It warns that “without decisive action, the EU risks further democratic erosion.”

In Italy, researchers pointed to PM Giorgia Meloni’s government’s draft proposals that would grant the justice ministry “open-ended powers” over prosecutors, increasing political control over the judiciary, and suggested the government to avoid any form of interference in the decisions of magistrates or attack on the judges.

The report also highlights “unprecedented levels of interference” in public service media, citing the cancellation of writer Antonio Scurati’s antifascist speech and the disciplinary action against talk show host Serena Bortone, on whose program the speech was supposed to be aired.

According to the report, the government should also work to prevent excessive media concentration and fully decriminalise defamation to align with its international human rights obligations.

Fratelli d’Italia, Meloni’s party, reacted sharply, targeting the NGO behind the report. In a post on X, the party wrote: “Italy is supposedly among the countries undermining democracy in Europe. The source? Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties), an NGO funded by George Soros. No further explanation needed.”