Italian democracy is the loser after
a TV debate between Premier Giorgia Meloni and her main
opposition leader Elly Schlein scheduled in the run-up to the
European elections was scrapped by State broadcaster Rai on
equal time concerns, the veteran journalist who would have
hosted it, Bruno Vespa, said Thursday.
The May 23 faceoff between rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI)
leader Meloni and centre-left Democratic Party (PD) chief
Schlein was scrubbed after just four of eight tickets endorsed
it, according to fair coverage rules enforced by media watchdog
AGCOM.
"In the last two election campaigns (2022/24) it wasn't possible
to broadcast debates between the premier (yesterday Letta, today
Meloni) and the most representative leader of the opposition
(yesterday Meloni, today Schlein), said Rai star Vespa.
"We have been banned from hosting a debate between two women who
for the first time in Italian history are at the top of their
respective positions. Is it a victory for democracy? I'm not
convinced."
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