The Italian public television network Rai has been strongly politicized since its creation in 1954. The Masonic Lodge “Propaganda 2” was a secret Lodge which became very influent in Italy during the 70s. One of the main goals of the Masonic Lodge P2, was the control of the media. In fact, its leader, Licio Gelli, understood that “the real power is in the hands of the mass media”. European Alternatives has already produced a dossier on the current state of the media in Italy. Today we will try to understand how everything started.

We just published a Dossier on the state of Media Freedom and Pluralism in Italy, concluding that lack of pluralism and evidence of media intimidation in Italy breach the fundamental values of the European Union. The European Institutions have the authority to condemn intimidation of the press in Italy, and potentially to open legal proceedings.

The European Parliament is studying the possibility of taking a position on the risk of a violation to media freedom and pluralism in Italy, and has called a first plenary assembly for October 7th, in Brussels, to discuss the issue. On the 22nd of October a vote will take place on a resolution, and we urge our fellow MEPs to support it.

On Thursday 17th September leaders of the European political parties have agreed to call a mini-plenary session on the 8th of October to discuss the state of media freedom and pluralism in Italy.

Over ten MEPs have already joined the campaign for the European Parliament to pass a resolution in plenary condemning all attempts of intimidation of the press.

A lack of a European response to the intimidation of the press in Italy poses a direct threat to the right of liberty of expression throughout the European Union, and limits the authority of any European condemnation of censorship in the rest of the world.

Lack of a European response to the intimidation of the press in Italy poses a direct threat to the right of liberty of expression throughout the European Union, puts in jeopardy progress in former Soviet countries admitted into the Union, and limits the authority of any European condemnation of censorship in the rest of the world.