Overview
- Roughly 100,000 visitors attended the five‑day Rome fair, down from 115,000 in 2024, according to organizers’ estimates.
- About fifty editors delivered a letter to AIE asking that, from 2026, publishers deemed apologetic of Nazism or fascism be excluded from the event.
- The fair’s closing program announced the launch of PEN Roma, presented by Sandro Veronesi with Roberto Saviano, Helena Janeczek and PEN International president Burhan Sönmez.
- Protests and stand coverings targeted the presence of Passaggio al Bosco, while some authors stayed away as Saviano defended participation and criticized boycotts.
- Contested and other right‑leaning publishers reported stronger sales, with Passaggio al Bosco and Idrovolante citing sell‑outs and higher takings, as other publishers reported mixed results.