Italian Local Path: Safeguarding Democracy Through Critical Understanding of Information

Guide book >> Italian Path

The Italian Local Path within the FREI project focuses on one essential question:
How can European democracies remain strong in a world where information is increasingly manipulated?

Italy’s contribution builds on its unique historical connection to the origins of both fascist propaganda and the European integration movement. As part of European Movement Italy, the team brings deep expertise in the relationship between freedom of expression, democratic values, and civic participation.

What the Italian Local Path explores

The path investigates two strongly connected dimensions:

1. The past: how information was controlled during the fascist regime
   Italy experienced the longest authoritarian system in Europe in the 20th century. Propaganda was systematically used to distort reality, undermine dissent, and shift a democratic state into dictatorship through seemingly legal and electoral processes.

2. The present: democratic societies facing new manipulation risks
   Today, misinformation and disinformation spread rapidly — not only through social media, but also, increasingly, from institutional actors. When narratives are deliberately twisted, the ability of citizens to make informed decisions weakens, and democratic trust erodes.

The Italian team therefore asks:

What kind of democracy do we want to protect — and how do we ensure media freedom remains a pillar of it?

Why youth are the focus

Young people in Italy — particularly those under 30 — often rely on digital platforms as their primary source of news. They face economic insecurity and uncertainty about their future, making them more vulnerable to polarizing narratives and authoritarian messaging.

Empowering them with:

• media literacy,

• critical thinking,

• historical awareness, and

• democratic participation skills

is key to preventing the repetition of past mistakes.

European identity as a source of resilience

The Italian Local Path emphasizes the vision of a free and united Europe — inspired by foundational ideas such as the Ventotene Manifesto, written during fascist repression yet imagining a continent based on solidarity and democracy.

This connection reminds young citizens that:

• freedom of speech and democratic cooperation are not guarantees

• they must be defended, understood, and carried forward

In summary

The Italy Local Path equips the younger generation to recognize how manipulation of information threatens democracy — and empowers them to actively protect European values.