History of La Repubblica. How an Italian Newspaper Became a Fortress

fot. indeciso42/CC4.0.Wikimedia

In the mid-1970s, Italy was ruled by the Christian Democracy party, led by Prime Minister Aldo Moro and President Giovanni Leone. Their mouthpiece was the two-channel state television, but Silvio Berlusconi and his cable station Telemilano were already on the horizon. In the press market, the main players were:

• Milan’s daily Corriere della Sera,
• Turin’s La Stampa,
• Rome’s communist-profiled dailies l’Unita
• and its partner Paese Sera,
• plus the weekly L’Espresso.

The latter was managed by Eugenio Scalfari, its co-founder, organizer, and journalist. The magazine was known as a weekly on politics, culture, and economy. But Scalfari had long been thinking about a daily newspaper based in Rome.

He shared his idea with editorial colleague Andrea Barbato, who approved. Yet it wasn`t so simple. At the time, there were about 76 daily newspaper publishers in Italy, but only four were profitable.


L’Espresso was in the black, and its circulation was growing. The main shareholder was Carlo De Benedetti, whom Scalfari approached for funding. But the businessman didn’t want to take the risk.

Three Years to Start Making Profit

Another publisher, Giorgio Mondadori, stepped in. In spring 1975, in his villa near Verona, the REPUBBLICA project was signed. A deal was made, and priorities and goals were set:

• The paper would be owned equally by Editoriale L’Espresso and the Mondadori publishing empire
• It would be printed in black and white
• Target circulation: 150,000 copies
• Berliner format
• Condition: if the target wasn’t met in three years, the paper would be shut down.

Scalfari and Barbato got to work. They gathered a team and set up the newsroom in four rooms on the fourth floor of the L’Espresso offices at via Po 12 in Rome. The first issue was prepared by experienced journalists, young enthusiasts, and two graphic designers. Under one of three editors-in-chief, Gianni Rocca, the premiere edition was shaped by:

• Giorgio Bocca - political journalist
• Fausto de Luca - political and social journalist
• Sandro Viola - columnist and correspondent
• Rosellina Balbi - culture section
• Mario Pirani - economic journalist
• Miriam Mafi - columnist
• Corrado Augias - international news
• Natalia Aspesi - film critic
• Orazio Gavioli - culture section
• Giuseppe Turani - head of economics
• Giorgio Forattini - illustrator and journalist
• Franco Bevilacqua - caricaturist

These are just some of nearly 30 people involved in launching a new media outlet in Italy. La Repubblica debuted on January 14, 1976. Its name paid homage to a small Portuguese newspaper that supported the Carnation Revolution in 1974.

The new paper, headquartered at Piazza Indipendenza 11, broke with tradition - using six columns instead of nine for clarity, and placing culture news across a centerfold. There were no sports articles. The 20-page daily was published six days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday. Scalfari chose a reformist leftist stance and focused on commentary, aiming for second-read status - offering reflection rather than breaking news.

Blunt Commentary, Student Support, and the Goal Achieved

Over the next two years, La Repubblica built its reputation. Scalfari targeted university youth movements, which paid off. Blunt political commentary, especially toward Bettino Craxi, leader of the PSI party, resonated with students, who supported the paper.

In 1977, Giampaolo Pansa, a top critic of the Italian Communist Party, joined the team. Coming from Corriere della Sera in Milan, he took over La Repubblica’s Milan office as editor-in-chief and became deputy director in 1978 alongside Mario Pirani and Gianni Rocca. He remained with the paper until 2008.

The paper’s appeal grew - clear layout, handy format, thought-provoking content, and Forattini’s cartoons did the job. Circulation rose from 114,000 in early 1978 to 140,000 by the year’s end.


A major boost came in March 1978, when the Red Brigades kidnapped and murdered Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro. La Repubblica supported non-negotiation with terrorists, criticized Craxi’s opposing stance, and provided thorough coverage of the 55-day crisis. This stance earned public favor and boosted circulation.

Another turning point was the launch of a humor supplement: Satyricon di Repubblica. In mid-year, a team led by Giorgio Forattini and Massimo Bucchi created this cheerful insert to portray national and global events through humor, highlighting distortions with lightness. It was the country’s first such supplement, which later became independent. Contributors included:

• Elio
• Rolando Aloisio
• Giampiero Lori
• Roberto Micheli
• Giorgio Fasan

The paper also introduced its first comic strip, Tutti da Fulvia Sabato sera, originally from Corriere della Sera, by Tullio Pericoli and Emanuele Pirelli. Every Saturday, Fulvia, a young Milanese lady, invited intellectuals, editors, journalists, and politicians to discuss recent events in her salon - for three decades.

By 1979, circulation hit and exceeded 150,000 (reaching 180,000). The target was met, the paper stayed, and profits began to rise. Page count increased to 24, and a sports section was introduced. It was overseen by Gianni Brera, a football expert who coined neologisms like uccellare, libero, rifinitura, and Eupalla. He also invented nicknames for athletes: Il Re Puma (Diego Maradona), Simba (Ruud Gullit), Deltaplano (Walter Zenga). Italian fans embraced them quickly.

On Terrorists’ Radar

The 1980s began with attacks on journalists covering terrorism and the mafia. After four Red Brigades members were killed by police in March 1980, a new group - Brigata 28 Marzo - formed in Milan and targeted journalists writing about them.

Guido Passalacqua, an investigative journalist in La Repubblica’s Milan bureau, had long reported on the Red Brigades. On May 7, a group from Brigata 28 Marzo stormed his home, posing as police. They tied and gagged him and the doorman, spray-painted on the wall:

We struck at the press supporting the state; honor the comrades who fell in Genoa, signed Brigata 28 Marzo, with the date of the Genoa shootings. One attacker screwed a silencer onto his gun and shot Passalacqua in both knees after several failed attempts, then fled.

The incident shocked Italy. But neither Passalacqua nor others backed down. Sadly, three weeks later, Corriere della Sera journalist Walter Tobagi wasn’t as lucky. He was shot and killed by the same group - five bullets struck him. The group was dismantled on October 7, 1980, when all its members were arrested. Interrogations revealed two of them came from journalist families, sparking a firestorm in the media.

Seizing the Opportunity. A Scandal Hits the Milan Rival

A year later, Corriere della Sera faced another crisis - this time a financial scandal. What was a disaster for one paper became a success for another. Readers of the Milan daily turned to the Roman one. Offices and staff in Milan expanded rapidly, and circulation soared. La Repubblica gained a host of popular journalists from Corriere, including Enzo Biagi and Alberto Ronchey. The newspaper grew to 40 pages and climbed the national media rankings.

The paper continued to support progressive leftist views but avoided aligning with any political party. It remained independent. It openly sympathized with Ciriaco De Mita and constantly opposed Bettino Craxi, which in 1985 brought its circulation to 372,940 copies, securing second place in Italy’s media market, ahead of La Stampa. Corriere della Sera, despite the scandal, remained number one.


La Repubblica became not only a politically clean paper but also one known for culture, intellect, and appeal to an expanding audience. In one article, Scalfari wrote: La Repubblica, unlike the rest of the Italian press, has always held a unique position: the corporate structure and ownership made it a small, unbreachable fortress against invasion and manipulation. It is thus the only major Italian newspaper of its kind.

In 1986, the newspaper celebrated its 10th anniversary. A special issue, Dieci anni 1976/1985, was released - 10 editions printed on glossy paper with a collection of top articles, an ad campaign, and a new business weekly supplement, Affari & Finanza, edited by Giuseppe Turani.

In December of that year, another milestone: circulation hit 515,000, and La Repubblica overtook Corriere della Sera to become the top-ranking newspaper in Italy.

La Repubblica on Top: "Even Murderers Call It First"

Building on its momentum, in January 1987, the newsroom launched its first prize-based game: Portfolio. A stock market-themed contest where players had to follow share prices daily, it proved wildly popular and drove circulation even higher, solidifying the paper’s lead. Later that year, on October 16, the first issue of the weekend supplement Il Venerdi was released. The cover star was Marcello Mastroianni.

This was also the time La Repubblica operated a Bologna branch. On April 16, 1988, at 4:45 PM, the newsroom phone rang. A journalist picked up and heard: We’ve killed DC Senator Roberto Ruffilli in Forlì. A strike at the heart of the state. Red Brigades, damn the Communist Party. Authorities were alerted, a patrol sent to the senator’s house - every word was true.

The next day, April 17, Luciano Pedrelli and Pietro Visconti, Bologna correspondents, wrote a detailed article titled Un sicario e tre colpi alla nuca (One hitman and three shots to the neck). For weeks, like all of Italy, La Repubblica covered the tragedy. Terrorism, the Red Brigades, and speculations about future targets dominated the headlines. La Repubblica’s journalists were particularly sensitive to April events - during Moro’s murder and other attacks, their newspaper had been used.

Though Scalfari intended La Repubblica to be a second newspaper when it launched in 1976, it soon became clear readers wanted more. They valued commentary but demanded up-to-date news from Italy and the world. And so it happened. It was said that La Repubblica’s newsroom is the best-informed - even murderers call them first. A grim claim, but it held weight. Being the most-read newspaper carried responsibility. In 1988, circulation reached 770,000.

A Costly Business Error and the War with Berlusconi

The paper’s success pleased its editors. So they were shocked and angry when they learned that Scalfari and Carlo Caracciolo, the two main shareholders of the Espresso Group, sold their shares to Carlo De Benedetti and Mondadori Publishing (1989). La Repubblica had a reputation as the journalists` paper and was profitable. Many saw the move as betrayal. Just as Corriere della Sera journalists had flocked to the Roman paper years earlier, in 1989 many La Repubblica journalists left for Milan in protest.

What motivated Espresso’s owners remained unclear, but the move proved a mistake. Media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi was now Mondadori’s major shareholder. He had long coveted La Repubblica. His appointment as company president gave him a perfect opportunity. But Benedetti wouldn’t back down. The result was the so-called Segrate War (Mondadori’s headquarters), a power struggle over the publishing house.

The conflict lasted two years. Benedetti presented evidence of acquisition irregularities. In the end, a court split Grande Mondadori in two. Berlusconi got the publishing house - without newspapers. Benedetti retained the dailies, including La Repubblica and L’Espresso, now under Gruppo Editoriale L`Espresso. The matter dragged on until 2009, during which Berlusconi was accused of bribery and ordered to pay Benedetti €749,995,611.93 (the Lodo Mondadori trial).


While the owners clashed, the newsroom kept running at full speed. The departure of several journalists caused disruption, but Scalfari, who stayed on as editor, quickly stabilized things. He hired new staff across the offices - some experienced, others fresh blood. Among the new pens were:

• Ferdinando Adornato (Rome)
• Mario Orfeo (Naples)
• Antonello Caporale (Rome)
• Zita Dazzi (Milan)
• Riccardo Luna (Rome)
• Umberto Galimberti (Milan)

Mario Orfeo, a sports enthusiast, began at La Repubblica in 1990 and witnessed the founding of the Naples branch. It was launched by two sports journalists: Franco Recanatesi and Antonio Corbo. Another sports reporter there was Francesco de Luca. The branch opened on April 18, and young Orfeo quickly rose through the ranks. By 1993, he became deputy head of the sports section under Beppe Smorto in Rome.

La Repubblica on Mondays - And Online

From its start, La Repubblica was published Tuesday to Sunday. Reader demand and their hunger for news led to a new Monday edition. It debuted on January 10, 1994. The front page covered a bombing in Rome’s Piazza Sturzo, a lunch between Il Giornale’s editor and Berlusconi, and a Milan-Lazio draw (0-0). It noted: Anno 1 numero 1 il lunedi (Year 1, Issue 1, Monday).

The following year saw two new supplements: weekly Musica! Rock & altro (March 22) and health magazine Salute (May 5). Both were in color. The main edition also began using color - initially just on the front page and ads. Full-color printing throughout began in 2004.

Ahead of elections, in April 1996, the team launched Repubblica.it, a test website. The paper’s official site went live nine months later, on January 14, 1997, and by October 2007 was Italy’s most visited news site (10.6 million users).

Before the website’s launch, in May 1996, women received their own supplement: D-La Repubblica delle Donne, edited weekly by Daniela Hamaui. Its popularity grew so much that it became a standalone magazine. Men had to wait until October 2014 for their quarterly Dlui di Repubblica.

Another key change came in 1996. In May, after 20 years, three months, and 21 days (as he calculated), Eugenio Scalfari stepped down as editor. At his farewell on May 3, the 72-year-old Barbapapa (so nicknamed for his Garibaldi-style beard and fatherly demeanor) gave three reasons:

• He no longer understood the content in Musica! Rock & altro
• He wanted to see how the La Repubblica ship sailed without him
• He still hoped to test himself as a solo journalist

Twenty years earlier, when the first issue launched, editor Gianni Rocca had promised Scalfari that when he left, he would leave too. And that’s what happened. On May 3, 1996, the founding duo Scalfari-Rocca bid farewell to their team, friends, and mentees.

Ezio Mauro’s Plan and a Rocky Start

With their departure, a chapter closed in the history of the newspaper and of Italian journalism. Both men continued to contribute to their newspaper as independent journalists, free from all constraints. They each hosted a reader Q&A column in the paper.

Their editorial responsibilities were handed over to Ezio Mauro. At the time of this transition, La Repubblica had a circulation of 591,180 copies, maintaining its top position.

Mauro had first worked with the Roman daily in 1988 as a Moscow correspondent. In 1990, he joined La Stampa, becoming its editor-in-chief in 1992. He officially took over La Repubblica on May 7, 1996, presenting his editorial plan:

• Maintain a democratic left stance, rooted in Western culture and a free-market economy
• Protect the paper’s core assets: independence, identity, and history
• Reinforce and showcase internal professionalism
• Avoid participation in media consortiums

That same month, Mauro and the paper faced a blunder. On May 30, they published a report and commentary claiming Shimon Peres had won the Israeli elections. The vote count was still ongoing, and Benjamin Netanyahu ultimately won. Authors Bernardo Valli and Marco Alsando offered explanations, and the newspaper issued an official apology (Opinioni dal mondo).


Subsequent moves by the new editor-in-chief were successful. The website launched and gained popularity. A new supplement, Computer, debuted.

In 1997, a travel weekly, I viaggi di Repubblica, was added. On April 29, 2015, it underwent a complete revamp, renamed Viaggi & Sapori, expanding to include regional cuisine. Tourism and local food coverage increased, guided by Carlo Petrini.

That same year, a bureau opened in Palermo, Sicily. Three years later, in 2000, another launched in Bari. La Repubblica became the only Italian paper distributed nationwide - from South Tyrol to Sicily.

Italy’s First Daily in Full Color

The turn of the century brought new topics and events: Mars Polar Lander missions, war in the Balkans and Chechnya, an environmental disaster in Romania. Domestically, elections reshaped the government - Carlo Azeglio Ciampi became president, and Giuliano Amato prime minister. Berlusconi, La Repubblica’s chief rival, regained power in 2001, giving the paper a slap in the face.

In September, all that was overshadowed. The Twin Towers fell. The front page declared Attacco all`America, calling it an attack on the heart of the USA. Reports detailed the tragedy minute by minute. Life moved on, and by January 2002, the focus was on the eurozone and how the currency change would affect Italy.

From early 2004, Mauro gradually increased the use of color in the paper. On September 4, readers saw a full-color report on the Beslan school terrorist attack. The entire newspaper had adopted full color.

La Repubblica was the first Italian newspaper to adopt full color daily, pushing the rest of the industry to follow suit. Three years later, on October 19, a fully redesigned and modernized issue was published. The newspaper was split into two sections: R1 featured current news, while R2 offered analysis. Starting November 28, the Sunday edition included a cultural supplement, La Domenica di Repubblica.

In September 2008, young readers received their own monthly, XL. A special preview issue released August 25 had a print run of 450,000 copies and cost 1 euro. It focused on literature, film, video games, and youth interests.

For fashion-forward readers, Michela Gattermayer launched a 580-page monthly, Velvet, on November 9, 2005.



Italy’s diverse population inspired the 2006 launch of La Repubblica Metropoli, a weekly focusing on various ethnic communities, cultures, religions, and traditions. It was the first initiative of its kind in Italy and was warmly received.

Tragedy in Afghanistan

On March 5, 2007, in Afghanistan, La Repubblica reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo, his driver, and Afghan journalist/translator Ajmal Naqshbandi were captured by the Taliban. When they learned Mastrogiacomo was Italian, not British, the Taliban demanded Italy withdraw its troops. The offer was rejected. In response, 25-year-old driver Sayed Agha was executed on camera.

Following negotiations, Mastrogiacomo was released in exchange for five Taliban prisoners. He returned to Italy on March 20. The third hostage, 24-year-old Naqshbandi, was accused of espionage and executed on April 8.

Journalist Strike: A Week Without News

2007 brought another crisis. What seemed like a peaceful newsroom was not. On April 16, a notice appeared:

Journalists have decided to halt work from April 16 through Sunday, April 22. Repubblica.it will resume publishing on the 23rd, and the newspaper will return to newsstands on April 24.

A strike was announced. Journalists demanded:

• New contracts
• Better work organization
• Recognition of long-term medical leave
• A new collective bargaining agreement (the old one expired two years earlier)

The death of Mastrogiacomo’s colleagues was the last straw. Management was criticized for being too passive during the kidnapping, not supporting the victims’ families, and potentially planning to sell the company. The strike ended with a demonstration outside the Repubblica-Espresso Group’s headquarters on Via Cristoforo Colombo. Protesters vowed: “We’ll decide what to do next, but we will continue fighting. One thing is certain: we won’t end up like Thatcher-era miners.” (AGI)

Management refused to negotiate. For a week, readers had no access to digital or print editions - even as the Left Democrats’ Congress took place.

The strike aimed to draw political attention to long-standing issues across Italian journalism. Though La Repubblica’s strike changed little, it sparked a national strike in June. On Saturday, June 30, Italy’s media came to a halt. Newspapers - including La Repubblica - plus public and private radio and TV joined. Only Berlusconi-owned media remained active.

This time, alongside labor demands, journalists protested legislation restricting access to investigative materials. Though promises were made, no deal was reached, and another strike followed in 2010.

After talks resumed, journalists returned to work. At La Repubblica, efforts were underway to upgrade the website, including a new search engine. By April 2008, the full newspaper archive back to 1984 was accessible online.

Berlusconi Scandal

In spring 2009, the Berlusconi scandal broke out. Veronica Lario, the politician’s wife, accused him in La Repubblica of involvement with underage girls. The story resurfaced repeatedly over the next few months, boosting the paper’s circulation by over 30,000 copies. Investigative journalist Giuseppe D’Avanzo followed up by publishing, on May 19, 2009, 10 Questions You Can’t Ask Berlusconi. These covered topics such as his meetings with underage Noemi Letizia, with sex workers, and use of government planes for personal travel.

• The eighth question was: Do you think you can still run for President of the Republic? And if not, do you believe someone deemed unfit for the Quirinale can serve as Prime Minister?
• The tenth read: In light of what has come to light over the past two months, what is your state of health, Mr. President?

In late August, Silvio Berlusconi sued the newspaper for one million euros in damages, but La Repubblica continued covering the story for another six months.


These high-interest events boosted circulation, but the general trend showed declining print readership. In 2008, sales were 556,325 copies, dropping to 485,149 in 2009, and to 449,150 in 2010, with numbers continuing to fall. Several supplements were cut, including the youth-oriented XL, fashion magazine Velvet, and the Book Almanac (published since 2004). The latter, along with the R2 section, was replaced in October 2009 by a 12-page insert titled R2 Cult, covering culture, technology, entertainment, and leisure.

Despite La Repubblica’s efforts, like many newspapers worldwide, it was losing print readers to websites, social media, and apps like WhatsApp. The rivalry with Corriere della Sera continued - La Repubblica led online but trailed in print.

La Repubblica Joins LENA

In 2015, the Leading European Newspaper Alliance (LENA) was formed. Seven newspapers from six countries joined forces to share journalistic expertise and promote quality journalism in Europe. Founding members included:

• Die Welt, Germany
• El Pais, Spain
• La Repubblica, Italy
• Le Figaro, France
• Le Soir, Belgium
• Tages-Anzeiger, Switzerland
• Tribune de Genève, Switzerland

LENA’s goal is to consolidate European public opinion through shared values of member newspapers, upholding quality journalism to build an open, democratic society while advancing economic progress and social justice. Initiatives include:

• Editorial content exchange
• Staff exchange programs
• Simultaneous content publication across outlets
• Involving experts, business leaders, and politicians in discussions on Europe’s future
• Digital development

Thus, a year before its 40th anniversary, La Repubblica gained new partners and advanced its development. In January 2016, one day after the paper’s birthday, Ezio Mauro stepped down after 20 years of service and passed the leadership to Mario Calabresi.

Anniversary and the Third Editor-in-Chief

Calabresi, the newspaper’s third editor-in-chief, began his journalism career in 1998 as a parliamentary correspondent for ANSA. In 1999, he became a political editor at La Repubblica. By 2002, he was deputy editor-in-chief, then served as a U.S. correspondent for La Stampa. He reported from New York for La Repubblica in 2007, and in 2009 became editor of La Stampa. Since both papers share a publisher, such transfers were common. Calabresi took his seat at La Repubblica’s helm on January 15, 2016, a day after the anniversary.

Though the paper’s birthday is in January, celebrations lasted all year. One major event was the Festival Repubblica:RepIdee 2016, held June 9-12 at the Maxxi National Museum of Art. It featured interviews, lectures, performances, and music. A highlight was the conversation between Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and founder Eugenio Scalfari.

Layout, graphics, five-column format, and improved photo quality were credited to designers Angelo Rinaldi and Francesco Franchi. The front page began showcasing two main stories with summaries pointing to inside pages. Of special note was the new custom font named Eugenio, in honor of Scalfari.

This visual redesign helped earn Calabresi the State Street Press Awards 2017. The jury recognized him with a special award for exceptional contribution to journalism. Other honorees included:

• Journalist of the Year - Best Scoop: Antonietta Ferrante (winner), Eugenio Occorsio, Business & Finance (finalist)
• Journalist of the Year - Best In-Depth Report: Eugenio Occorsio, Business & Finance (finalist)
• Journalist of the Year - Young Talent: Filippo Santelli (finalist)

That anniversary year also brought the launch of Repubblica @ Scuola, an online platform for student journalism, and a Telegram news channel (March 12).

End of Harmony: Calabresi Departs

In May 2017, following mergers and acquisitions, the publisher changed its name from Gruppo Editoriale L’Espresso SpA to GEDI Gruppo Editoriale SpA. When Calabresi took over, the newspaper’s circulation was 231,137 copies. A year later, it dropped to 190,261. Critics claimed this decline led to his dismissal, though he denied it, saying his three-year contract had simply ended.

On February 19, Carlo Verdelli assumed leadership, winning 296 staff votes. Thirteen opposed, and six abstained. Though new to the paper itself, Verdelli was already connected to the publishing group. The vote showed staff’s willingness to cooperate with him.

After a calm first year, January 2020 brought challenges for Verdelli as editor of La Repubblica.

Following Holocaust Remembrance Day events, a wave of hate speech hit those condemning antisemitism - including the President, politicians, and especially journalists. Twitter attacks targeted Senator Liliana Segre, Verdelli, and Paolo Berizzi, a reporter known for covering fascist terrorism and racism (notably Blood & Honour 1998). Berizzi began a regular column on such topics in late 2019.

The La Repubblica editorial board declared: Anyone who attacks the editor of Repubblica attacks every journalist at our newspaper. These disgraceful displays of hatred and antisemitism, also aimed at our colleague Paolo Berizzi, have no place in a democratic society. The police must do everything possible to identify the culprits.

The threats escalated. On January 14, an anonymous caller phoned in a bomb threat to the GEDI group’s headquarters, which houses the paper, L’Espresso, La Stampa’s Rome bureau, Radio Capital, and administrative offices. The 10-story building was evacuated within an hour. Thankfully, the threat proved false.

The next day, a press release stated: Readers know that no intimidation will alter our way of reporting - free and independent - not one bit.

War with Salvini

On the same day, Carlo Verdelli published an interview with Graziano Del Rio, leader of the Democratic Party, titled Cancellare Salvini (Cancel Salvini), in which Del Rio called for the repeal of the security decrees known as “Salvini’s decrees.”

Senator Salvini, feeling targeted, responded at a press conference on January 16: To me, this is incitement to commit a crime. The editorial office replied: Senator Salvini is mistaking fireflies for lanterns: Repubblica informed and summarized in a front-page headline the meaning of an interview about changing migration policy, starting with the security decrees. Turning a summary into a personal attack is unfair, even slightly indecent.


Thus began the war between Salvini and La Repubblica. Bickering and accusations followed, triggering further attacks on the newspaper’s office, which had already suffered a false bomb threat. Death threats were issued against Verdelli, with April 23 named as the date. Prosecutors launched an investigation, and Verdelli was given police protection. The situation grew more dangerous when even former editor Eugenio Scalfari received mysterious envelopes containing powder in February. Italian police linked the threats to the article and enlisted Interpol, as the letters had come from Germany, France, and the UK.

The entire newsroom stood behind its editor. The journalism and political world also voiced support. On April 18, the newspaper’s website published messages of solidarity with its team. The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, also expressed support.

The Italian government, via a special decree, created a task force against online hate. Its mission: to map possible technical solutions, identify how platform managers can help limit harm to society, in line with constitutional principles.

Surprising Editor Dismissal. New Leader, New Rules

Despite the support and warm words from the public and readers, the board dismissed Carlo Verdelli as editor of La Repubblica. Was it fear of attacks, internal board conflicts after the GEDI group was bought by John Elkann, or declining circulation (which at times also surged)? No one knew for sure. The decision came as a shock. Both the staff and Verdelli learned of it on April 23, 2020 - the date of the death threat against him.

The newsroom was in uproar. Verdelli urged calm, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic had just begun. On April 25, 2020, Maurizio Molinari was appointed editor-in-chief of La Repubblica.

It was a difficult period. Coronavirus, editorial attacks, resignations from the board and staff were just some of the challenges Molinari faced. He joined La Repubblica from Gedi News Network with strong backing from new owner John Elkann. Together, they aimed to shift the paper toward the political right, expand its digital format, and focus more on economic and social inequality. Their program included:

• Implementing the Digital First project: adapting work hours for online media, introducing multimedia queries.
• Launching new sections (both print and digital) to attract readers and advertisers. Planned titles: Health, Green & Blue, Italian Tech, Il Gusto, ModaeBeauty.
• Appointing Emanuele Farenti (former Vogue director) to lead the fashion section and work on relaunching the former women’s magazine, set to debut March 19, 2022.
• Launching the OnePodcast platform in January 2022.
• Hiring analysts to improve social media networks and turn them into sources of information and business opportunities.
• Changing comment section rules (limited character count, time restrictions).
• Training all staff in new technologies.
• Reorganizing employment: 54 journalists nearing retirement were required to leave.

These plans were implemented. Alongside the dismissed journalists, several resigned in protest. The newsroom lost seasoned experts and long-time contributors, including Gad Lerner, Bernardo Valli, Attilio Bolzoni, Roberto Saviano, and veteran New York correspondent Federico Rampini.

They were replaced by new voices such as Linda Laura Sabbadini (who now writes on the war in Ukraine), political journalist Luca Ricolfi, and French philosopher and journalist Bernard-Henri Lévy. Several former contributors also returned, including writers Tahar Ben and Carlo Pizzati, and film and literature expert Antonio Monda.

Today, 46 years after its founding, La Repubblica remains one of Italy’s top newspapers. It has 10 local editions and 7 different supplements. It’s present on social media and mobile apps. Its circulation is 127,829 copies. And... it’s slowly shifting to the right.

La Repubblica Timeline:

• 1976, January 14 - First issue of La Repubblica
• 1978 - First comic strip
• 1978, March - 55-day coverage of the kidnapping and murder of PM Aldo Moro
• 1978, Fall - First supplement, satirical weekly Satirikon
• 1979 - Sports section introduced
• 1980, May 7 - Terrorist attack on journalist Guido Passalacqua
• 1986, April - First issue of business supplement Affari & Finanza
• 1987, January - First prize-based game Portfolio
• 1987, October 16 - Launch of weekend supplement Il Venerdi
• 1989 - Publisher Mondadori becomes owner of La Repubblica
• 1991 - Formation of Gruppo Editoriale L’Espresso, owner of the paper
• 1994, January 10 - First Monday edition; now published 7 days a week
• 1995 - First color front page and ads
• 1995, March 22 - Launch of music magazine Musica! Rock & altro
• 1995, May 5 - Health supplement Salute
• 1996, April - Launch of test website
• 1996, May - Women’s supplement D-La Repubblica delle Donne
• 1997, January 14 - Official website repubblica.it and Computer launched
• 1997, April - Travel weekly I viaggi di Repubblica
• 2005, November 9 - Fashion magazine Velvet debuts
• 2006 - Supplement La Repubblica Metropoli for immigrants
• 2007, April 16-24 - La Repubblica journalists go on strike
• 2007, June 30 - Nationwide journalist strike
• 2007, October 19 - Major redesign of the newspaper
• 2008, April - Digital archive opens, issues from 1984 available
• 2008, September - Youth supplement XL launches
• 2009, May 19 - Article 10 Questions You Can’t Ask Berlusconi published
• 2014, October - Men’s supplement Dlui di Repubblica
• 2015 - La Repubblica joins LENA
• 2016 - Launch of school portal Repubblica@Scuola
• 2016, March 12 - Telegram channel launched
• 2016, June 9-12 - Festival Repubblica RepIdee 2016 in Rome
• 2016, November 22 - New layout with custom Eugenio font
• 2017, May - Publisher renamed GEDI Gruppo Editoriale SpA
• 2019, November 30 - John Elkann becomes owner of GEDI
• 2020, January 14 - False bomb threat at headquarters
• 2020, February - Heightened threats, director Verdelli receives death threat for April 23
• 2020, May - Digital First project begins
• 2022, January - OnePodcast platform launches