Italy faces democratic erosion and challenges in youth engagement

According to the 2025 V-Dem report, Italy is experiencing a decline in democratic quality, ranking 37th globally with an index of 0.64. This downward trend, which began in 2021, is characterized by increased media self-censorship and an information imbalance favoring the executive branch. While the level of erosion does not yet match that of countries like Hungary or Slovakia, the trajectory has placed Italy on international lists of concern.

Parallel to these institutional shifts, Italy's political leadership has adopted a strategy of active listening toward younger generations to address social unrest. However, critics suggest this approach often functions as a passive reception of grievances rather than a mechanism for concrete policy action, risking the transformation of youth discontent into mere media content without operational solutions.