Italian Referendum: Journalists Blocked From Training on Justice Vote

Italian journalists face restrictions on professional development related to an upcoming referendum on justice reform. A national order governing the profession has prohibited the approval of any training courses specifically addressing the referendum, citing concerns over maintaining impartiality during the election period.

Training Restrictions and the “Par Condicio”

The directive, communicated via a circular on January 22nd, applies regardless of efforts to ensure balanced reporting within the courses. This means journalists who regularly cover the constitutional referendum are now barred from formal professional development on the topic. The decision led to the cancellation of a planned event for February 19th, organized by Anna Laura Bussa, treasurer of the Lazio regional order, which would have provided professional credits to attendees.

Did You Know? The cancelled February 19th event was designed to include an equal number of speakers representing both sides of the referendum debate – four supporting the “Yes” vote and four supporting the “No” vote.

The planned event featured a diverse range of speakers. Those supporting the Nordio reform included Vice Minister of Justice Francesco Paolo Sisto, Fi deputy Enrico Costa, constitutional scholar Stefano Ceccanti, and Davide Giacalone, director of La Ragione. Opponents included former Justice Minister Andrea Orlando, former Senate Constitutional Affairs Commission President Anna Finocchiaro, former ANM Secretary General Giuseppe Cascini, and the director of Il Manifesto.

Circumventing the Restrictions

The national order deemed the event too politically sensitive, opting for a “prudent” approach. However, journalists are still permitted to enroll in courses on topics such as “Ethics of Rugby and Journalistic Storytelling” and “Pet Therapy, Educational Farms, and Assisted Interventions.” A workaround has emerged: transforming training courses into conferences, thereby avoiding the restrictions related to professional credits.

In Genoa, an event organized by the local Bar Associations, titled “Referendum: Right to a Fair Trial and to Information,” was held as a conference after being shifted from a credit-bearing course. The event featured Giusi Bartolozzi, head of the Minister of Justice’s cabinet, and focused on arguments in favor of the referendum. This followed a similar event in November, also in Genoa, which focused on arguments against the referendum and featured Nicola Gratteri.

Expert Insight: The decision to prohibit training on a topic of significant public interest raises questions about the balance between maintaining impartiality and ensuring journalists have the resources to adequately inform the public. The shift to conferences, while circumventing the restrictions, may not provide the same level of structured learning and professional development.

Tommaso Fregatti, president of the Liguria Order, explained that he intended to organize both events as training courses but shifted the recent event to a conference format due to the national order’s circular. The national president of the Order, Carlo Bartoli, was unavailable for comment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What prompted the national order to issue this directive?

The directive was issued with the stated aim of upholding “par condicio” – equal opportunity – during the referendum campaign, preventing any perceived bias in professional training for journalists.

What alternatives are available to journalists seeking professional development?

Journalists can still participate in courses on topics such as “Ethics of Rugby and Journalistic Storytelling” and “Pet therapy, fattorie didattiche, interventi assistiti. Come gli animali aiutano a stare meglio,” but no courses directly addressing the justice referendum are currently approved.

How did the Liguria Order respond to the restrictions?

The Liguria Order transformed a planned training course on the referendum into a conference to avoid the restrictions, while also hosting a separate event in November focused on arguments against the referendum.

As the referendum approaches, will these restrictions impact the depth and breadth of reporting on this critical issue?