Between declarations and concrete data

At the beginning-of-the-year press conference, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reaffirmed emphatically that “press freedom is a fundamental prerequisite of any democracy and must be defended.”

These are important words, which deserve to be measured not only against promises and symbolic initiatives, but also against concrete data on the protection of information and the legislative gaps that still characterize our country.

The Prime Minister recalled provisions on security and insurance coverage for journalists deployed to war zones, as well as the establishment of a national day in memory of reporters killed because of their work.

While these initiatives carry symbolic and human value, it is legitimate to ask whether they address the more structural issues that threaten freedom of expression within our legal system – especially in light of the data published by “Ossigeno per l’Informazione” just one day before the Prime Minister’s press conference. According to the observatory, “in 2025, 677 journalists were threatened in Italy, a 31% increase compared to the previous year. Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) continued to target journalists with great frequency, while violent acts affected 83.7% of them (+13.4%).”

SLAPPs: a burdensome regulatory gap

Despite Meloni’s statements, Italy still lacks a specific law against SLAPPs – civil or criminal legal actions brought not to seek justice, but to intimidate, drain time and resources, and silence those who engage in criticism or investigate power and public interests.

In a recent Policy Brief on SLAPPs, we highlighted how the absence of preventive safeguards and effective procedural tools constitutes a significant regulatory gap, leaving journalists, activists, and citizens vulnerable to mechanisms that can severely restrict freedom of expression.

SLAPPs are not an abstract problem: vexatious complaints and intimidatory legal actions delay and obstruct journalistic work, producing a “gag effect” well before any ruling is issued. This phenomenon has also been flagged by major international observers and included among the factors weakening a free press in Italy.

In December, Parliament approved a law delegating the government to transpose certain European directives, including the so-called Anti-SLAPP directive. However, its scope is limited to cross-border legal actions, which represent only a minority of cases and are generally the least impactful. As we have also noted in this article published in l’Unità, this was a missed opportunity to adopt a comprehensive law capable of truly addressing this serious and widespread problem.

International data on press freedom

Official statements on press freedom as a “fundamental prerequisite” are important, but global rankings paint a less reassuring picture.

In the World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF), Italy has slipped in recent years: after ranking 41st in 2023, it fell to 46th in 2024 and then to 49th in 2025, out of around 180 countries assessed.

According to RSF, this downward trend is attributable to a range of issues, including the persistence of threats against journalists, the systematic use of vexatious lawsuits, and concerns over potential “gag laws” and political interference in the media system.

Last year in Italy, several activists and journalists were reportedly surveilled using “Paragon” spyware, which is supplied exclusively to governments by its manufacturer. To date, it remains unclear who ordered the surveillance and for what purpose.

The critical issues highlighted here were also underscored in the Media Freedom Report 2025 by Liberties – for which CILD authors the national chapter on Italy. That report likewise emphasized the persistent structural shortcomings of the Italian system, affecting media pluralism, independence, and journalists’ working conditions – key elements for a truly free and independent press.

Conclusion: words vs. deeds

There is no doubt that press freedom is a value enshrined in the Constitution and reiterated in institutional declarations. However, symbolic initiatives and political messaging are not sufficient if they are not accompanied by concrete legislative tools and by a genuine improvement in the conditions under which journalists operate.