A coalition of civil liberties groups has warned that Europe is experiencing a deepening “democratic recession”, with Italy and five other countries undermining the rule of law in various ways. The report, compiled by 43 human rights organizations across 21 EU member states, highlights problems including judicial manipulation, weak anti-corruption measures, media harassment, and restrictions on peaceful protests.
Italy’s government has been accused of “heavy intolerance to media criticism” after introducing proposals that would give the justice ministry more control over prosecutors. The country is also under scrutiny for its interference in public service media, including the cancellation of an author’s manifesto and disciplinary action against a talk show host.
Other countries facing similar issues include Bulgaria, where anti-corruption investigations have been launched against opposition politicians; Croatia, where the integrity of the justice system has been compromised by the appointment of a judge with close ties to the ruling party; and Romania, where a little-known ultranationalist candidate won presidential elections on TikTok.
The report also notes that “role-model democracies” such as France and Germany are not immune to problems, including restrictions on freedom of expression and excessive responses to pro-Palestinian events. Poland is seen as a cautionary tale, with efforts to restore judicial independence and media pluralism facing challenges from the president and the complexities of unpicking compromised institutions.
The European Commission is being called upon to strengthen its monitoring exercise by linking it to the release of EU funds and accelerating legal action for rule of law violations.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/17/italy-one-of-five-dismantlers-causing-democratic-recession-in-europe-report-says