Overview

• The European Parliament’s LIBE Commission held a hearing on May 14, 2025, focusing on Italy’s rule of law and media freedom, featuring testimonies from Sigfrido Ranucci and Francesco Cancellato.
• Tommaso Cerno, director of Il Tempo, was excluded from the hearing, prompting accusations of ideological bias from Fratelli d’Italia-ECR representatives.
• Vice-President Sophie Wilmès defended the decision, stating the witness list was finalized in October 2024 and that late submissions from FdI-ECR could not be accommodated.
• FdI-ECR held a parallel press conference in Strasbourg, criticizing the LIBE Commission for alleged censorship and lack of pluralism in its selection process.
• Opposition groups, including PD and M5S, countered the censorship claims, asserting that FdI-ECR failed to meet procedural deadlines for proposing witnesses.