Chamber of Deputies gives the go-ahead for Enzo Tortora Day and a day to commemorate victims of miscarriages of justice

The Chamber of Deputies has approved the bill for the “Establishment of Enzo Tortora National Day in memory of the victims of miscarriages of justice” with 178 votes in favour and none against (97 abstentions). The bill will now be examined by the Senate. The date for the new commemorative day will be 17 June, marking the day in 1983 when the journalist and popular television presenter was arrested on extremely serious charges – membership of a Camorra-style organisation and international drug trafficking – from which he was subsequently fully acquitted, following a gruelling legal ordeal. The centre-right groups, Iv and Azione voted in favour; the PD, M5S and AVS abstained. The public holiday will have no civil implications, nor will it entail any new or increased costs for the public purse.

During the explanations of vote, the majority strongly emphasised the importance of the bill, whilst the opposition complained about the lack of opportunity for debate. “This is a historic battle for Forza Italia, a party committed to liberal values and the rule of law,” commented the party’s parliamentary group leader Enrico Costa, who added that “all too often we have heard it claimed that judicial errors do not exist, that they are merely inevitable side effects. Yet miscarriages of justice do exist and ruin the lives of those who fall victim to them. Today, the State recognises that judicial errors do occur, and they are not only those that result in acquittals following arrests, but also those involving innocent people who are subjected to ordeals lasting years and who, even without their personal freedom being affected, endure long and gruelling trials which are in themselves a punishment that leaves deep scars”.

Rachele Scarpa , an MP from the PD, lamented the lack of “genuine debate in committee” on “a matter that would have required the utmost consensus”. “This approach, however profoundly flawed, does not detract from the soundness of the principles that inspired this draft bill,” said the PD MP. “We would also have liked to discuss certain practical aspects in greater detail: we fully understand the symbolic choice of 17 June, but we must ask ourselves whether a day also designated for schools risks losing some of its effectiveness at a time when schools are closed.”

The Chamber’s approval came when the bill was brought before the House for the second time. On 7 May 2025, the bill had in fact been referred back to committee at the majority’s request, which is why the opposition had accused the centre-right of seeking to scupper it. The bill was first tabled by Davide Faraone, who today continued to point the finger: “If we are voting on this measure so late, we have the majority to blame for their ill-advised decision, which has caused us to waste time unnecessarily”. Faraone highlighted the risk that, due to the tight deadline, the bill may only be passed by one house of Parliament.