Vienna – The Global State of Democracy Report 2025, published by International IDEA, paints a picture of Europe that is no longer the oasis of democratic stability it once liked to present itself as. Cracks are widening: setbacks in the rule of law, erosion of press freedom, and growing tensions around the management of fundamental rights. Within this broader frame, two neighboring countries—Italy and Austria—move along very different trajectories. They share history and geography, but the report highlights profoundly contrasting profiles.
Italy: the paradox of a highly representative democracy
Italy ranks 8th worldwide in the category of Representation, a sign that its electoral machinery still works: citizens can vote, governments can change. But scratch the surface and the data become far more troubling.
The "bel Paese", long tainted by corruption and the corrosive effects of patronage networks, drops to 31st place on Rights and 35th on Rule of Law. Press freedom stands out as one of the weakest points: Parliament has been forced to open an inquiry into the use of spyware against journalists and activists — a warning sign of how fragile the safeguards of privacy and independent information have become. The report cannot ignore the spread of unlawful practices by police forces in Italy, sometimes tolerated—or even shielded—by parts of the judiciary. Too often, independent journalists are the targets, guilty only of shedding light on what remains a national taboo: the inefficiency and opacity of the judicial system itself. At the same time, there are cases where magistrates appear eager to protect figures close to them or useful to their own interests. The result is a climate where reporters face intimidation and smear campaigns online, while judicial institutions respond with silence that looks less like neutrality and more like complicity or sheer inability—reinforcing the image of a system weakened by incompetence and shadowy networks of corruption.
Austria: a model worth noting
Against this backdrop, Austria emerges as a far more solid country on the rights front. It ranks 17th worldwide in Rights, well ahead of Italy. Here, press freedom enjoys more consistent protection, with fewer cases of intimidation and a media environment that, while not free from economic and political pressures, remains more pluralistic and safeguarded.
This is no small detail. Where journalists can work without fear of surveillance or frivolous lawsuits, democracy breathes, thrives on debate, and strengthens trust between citizens and institutions. Austria offers this stronger framework, far removed from the corrosive mix of nepotism and corruption that still shapes public life in Italy. In Austria, those who file a defamation complaint can reasonably expect their case to be taken seriously and pursued swiftly: neither the police nor prosecutors hesitate because of personal ties or “usefulness.” The legal system also provides specific aggravating factors for hate crimes such as racism and homophobia, ensuring victims receive real protection. In Italy, by contrast, the picture is one of systemic decay: endemic corruption, entrenched clientelism, and a judiciary widely perceived as opaque, where career advancement is too often dictated by connections rather than competence.
A lesson for Rome
The comparison reveals a paradox: Italy, despite a representative system that functions well, sees the space of civil liberties shrinking. Austria, instead, demonstrates that democracy is not measured by ballot boxes alone: without a free press, no election can be truly credible. The deeper challenge for Italy, the report suggests, is not guaranteeing the right to vote — still broadly respected — but protecting those who explain, interpret, and critique that vote. Without their voice, citizens may cast a ballot, but remain uninformed. And without knowledge, representation becomes an empty shell.
P.F.
Silere non possum