‘A Watershed Moment’: ‘Daphne’s Law’ Endorsed By Overwhelming Majority In European Parliament
The European Parliament has approved a proposed directive named in honour of assassinated Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, aimed at shielding journalists and human rights activists from abusive transnational legal actions, commonly referred to as strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).
An overwhelming 87.5% of the MEPs, which included all six Maltese MEPs, endorsed the Directive. Conversely, 47 MEPs, primarily from far-right factions and non-aligned members, opposed it, while an additional 31 abstained from voting.
The directive, dubbed “Daphne’s Law”, aims to empower judges to identify SLAPPs swiftly and facilitate their prompt dismissal. This would subsequently alleviate the burden on journalists or activists subjected to such proceedings, sparing them from defending against baseless claims brought in bad faith solely to harass them.
All member states must implement the directive by 2026.
In a Facebook statement, Opposition leader Bernard Grech urged the Government to “immediately” start implementing the directive and “retract its own SLAPP cases against Maltese media houses”.
He also said that this “win for journalists and democracy” was owed to the Nationalist Party’s persistent efforts.
President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola called the passing of Daphne’s Law “a watershed moment”.
“I’m very proud of what we have achieved. A strong anti-SLAPP directive that provides cover to journalists and activists in the crossfire, who are threatened and harassed day and night for doing their job, who have nowhere else to turn to,” Metsola wrote on her social media.
“We promised this law to [Daphne’s] family, to her parents and her sisters. We worked hard for it. We delivered,” she stated proudly.
“Daphne, Rose, this is for you,” Metsola declared in the caption accompanying a photograph featuring Daphne’s late mother, Rose, who passed away last summer.
PN MEP David Casa explained on social media how six years ago he initiated the campaign for an anti-SLAPP law at an EU level after receiving threatening letters from Pilatus Bank following Caruana Galizia’s assassination.
“Now we have to work to ensure that Governments implement this law, aimed at protecting journalists, in a just manner,” he wrote.
This action was co-financed by the European Union in the frame of the European Parliament’s grant programme in the field of communication. The European Parliament was not involved in its preparation and is, in no case, responsible for or bound by the information or opinions expressed in the context of this action. In accordance with applicable law, the authors, interviewed people, publishers or programme broadcasters are solely responsible. The European Parliament can also not be held liable for direct or indirect damage that may result from the implementation of the action.
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