Freedom House has published its Freedom in the World 2026 assessment, classifying Italy as a “Free” country with an overall score of 87 out of 100. The report evaluates political rights and civil liberties around the world and is widely used as an indicator of the state of freedom and democracy across countries.

According to the assessment, Italy received 35 out of 40 points for Political Rights and 52 out of 60 points for Civil Liberties. While the country remains in the “Free” category, its overall score is slightly lower than in the previous edition of the report.

Freedom House describes Italy as a parliamentary republic with a competitive multiparty political system. Citizens are able to participate in regular elections, and the country generally guarantees a broad range of civil liberties and political freedoms. The report notes that democratic institutions remain well established and that fundamental rights are largely protected.

At the same time, the assessment highlights several issues that continue to attract attention in the Italian context. These include concerns related to the rights of migrants and LGBT+ people, as well as longstanding regional inequalities. The report also points to corruption and organised crime as continuing challenges affecting governance and the rule of law.

Published annually, Freedom in the World assesses countries and territories through indicators related to electoral processes, political participation, the functioning of government, freedom of expression, associational rights, rule of law, and individual rights. The 2026 assessment indicates that Italy continues to perform strongly in these areas while facing a number of ongoing social and governance challenges.