Iconic Italian journalist and founder of La Repubblica, Eugenio Scalfari, has died today at the age of 98. In his long professional career, Scalfari in 1955 contributed to the publication of the weekly magazine L'Espresso. Twelve years later, with his investigative journalism, he denounced a plot for a far-right military coup in Italy. After a year, in 1968, he was elected as an independent deputy, on the ballots of the Italian Socialist Party.
In 1976, Eugenio Scalfari created the newspaper La Repubblica, while also becoming its director.
With direct texts, critical spirit, unique sketches, the newspaper becomes a point of reference in the Italian progressive space and the first in circulation, for several years. Many commentators talk about "a real revolution in the field of Italian and European journalism".
In his unique career, Scalfari radically criticized the actions of former Socialist Prime Minister Bettino Craxi and Silvio Berlusconi, starting with the incompatibility of his business-political actions.
In 1996 he resigned as director of the newspaper he had created and imposed on the Italian political, social and cultural reality, but continued to work and write articles until recently, securing, among other things, two exclusive and in-depth interviews with the Pope Francis.
When Scalfari used to say: Every country has the political class it deserves
Eugenio Scalfari was also famous for an expression that has entered the political vocabulary of every country. Invited to "Che tempo che fa" in 2012 Scalfari said: "The Italians have a ruling class that many now attack. But we choose the ruling class. Every country has the political class it deserves. If we have half a century of having the same problems, this is a sign that we nurture or tolerate them ourselves". This is an expression that goes best for the Albanian reality.