Italy’s government has profoundly undermined the rule of law with changes to the judiciary and showed “heavy intolerance to media criticism”, in an emblematic example of Europe’s deepening “democratic recession”, a coalition of civil liberties groups has said.

A report by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) said Italy was one of five “dismantlers” – along with Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia – that “intentionally undermine the rule of law in nearly all aspects”.

In Hungary, long classified as an “electoral autocracy”, researchers detected “significant regression” in the rule of law in 2024. Pressure on non-governmental groups and media intensified after the launch of Hungary’s sovereignty protection office, which has broad powers to investigate Hungarians active in public life.