The turbulent century-long journey of Italy's most resilient and controversial political newspaper

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1924 by Antonio Gramsci as the voice of the Italian Communist Party, l'Unità has endured suppression, clandestine rebirths, and repeated financial collapses. From its origins as a workers' paper to its modern independent relaunch, its history mirrors the volatile shifts of Italian politics and media.

Established on 12 February 1924, l'Unità began as the official organ of the Italian Communist Party. Its early years were defined by struggle; the paper faced suppression under the Fascist regime following an assassination attempt on Benito Mussolini in 1926. Despite this, it maintained a clandestine presence before returning to full publication after the Allied conquest of Rome in 1944. For decades, it served as a central pillar of Italian left-wing discourse, attracting intellectual contributors like Italo Calvino and Cesare Pavese.

The newspaper's fortunes shifted dramatically in the late 20th century. While it boasted a circulation of 239,000 in 1974, it faced intense competition from la Repubblica in the 1980s, leading to a sharp decline in readership. This era was also marked by significant editorial volatility, including a high-profile scandal in 1982 when the paper published false allegations against a Christian Democratic minister, resulting in the resignation of its editor-in-chief. Financial instability became a recurring theme, with the paper suspending operations multiple times between 2000 and 2017.

In its recent history, l'Unità has struggled to find a sustainable model. After a period of near-total dormancy from 2018 to 2022, during which it published only one issue annually to retain its license, the paper was purchased by Romeo Editore srl. It was relaunched as an independent publication on 16 May 2023 under editor Piero Sansonetti. This latest iteration represents a departure from its traditional role as a party-affiliated organ, marking a new chapter for a publication that has survived nearly a century of political upheaval and economic crisis.

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