Manifesto for Freedom of the Press presented at European Parliament. Ruotolo (PD): ‘Attacks like never before’

Brussels – A Manifesto to protect journalism and make it strongly independent, ethical, and resilient was presented today, November 5, at the European Parliament. Several European newspapers, along with MEP Sandro Gozzi (S&D) and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, addressed the complex issue of press independence.​ The document was drafted thanks to the European project S-Info, which involved the collaboration of European journalists and non-profit associations from Italy, Belgium, Malta, and Romania.

Parliamentary Support

“Protecting journalism today means facing an attack on press freedom that we have never experienced before. We have not been in such dangerous times for journalists since the Second World War,” warned Ruotolo, referring to the approximately 200 journalists killed in Gaza.

The attack on the media is becoming systematic. Ruotolo recalls how “in Italy, 29 journalists are under escort, a fact that gets worse year after year,” as Ruotolo himself is also under escort. Confirming the importance of the issue is Metsola, who makes it clear that “the problem is transversal across Europe.”

“The President is always on the front line when it comes to engaging on press freedom and journalism,” says Ruotolo, underscoring the importance of her presence. Roberta Metsola is very clear on the issue. Her home country, Malta, ranks last in the Union when it comes to press freedom. The most serious incident was in 2017, when a bomb under her car killed investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The Manifesto

A first step to tackle the problem is this Manifesto. In Italy, it was Tele Radio City, a social cooperative in Padua, which runs several information and enquiry networks, that worked on it. The document is the result of a dialogue with students, universities, journalists, and local associations, in collaboration with colleagues from Malta, Romania, and Belgium.

The document aims to provide guidelines on what constitutes modern, independent information. The cornerstones are social justice and the economic protection of journalists, the climate crisis, gender equality, and anti-racism, for an ongoing commitment to offer in-depth information that denounces corruption and the opacity of institutions.

The attacks on journalists

High-minded principles, but that must face a journalism sector that is in economic crisis, and, precisely for this reason, is more easily silenced by power. The explosive attack targeting RAI journalist Sigfrido Ranucci shook Italy​. More recently, however, was the episode in Brussels, where Gabriele Nunziati, European correspondent for Agenzia Nova, was fired after an uncomfortable question posed to the European Commission spokeswoman.

It is a dog biting its own tail: less money for newspapers means more vulnerability for journalists. The main threat remains that of so-called “reckless lawsuits,” filed by entities or persons involved in scandals reported by the press. In 2024, there were around 519 of them, recalls Ruotolo, who invites a victim of this anti-democratic practice to speak: journalist Fabrizio Bertè from la Repubblica. After publishing several articles on the lack of transparency in the posts assigned at the University of Messina, Bertè was subjected to several warnings with claims for over one million euros. The Italian Order of Journalists deemed the articles legitimate, but the lawsuits persist.

The new ways forward 

To be able to face lawsuits, hearings, and verdicts, journalists need to have readers on their side, as they are the only ones who, by paying for information, can strengthen the power of news outlets. This is what the young Belgian journalist Marine Genries, who brings the Manifesto’s ambitions back down to earth, is talking about. “We cannot believe that the economic model based on site advertising is sufficient to sustain journalistic work,” she says. “Journalists need to develop more skills in new media to be able to keep up with the times.”