Communicating during election periods: the rules everyone needs to know
Date
13 October 2025
by Enrico Beda
Seven Italian regions will hold elections in autumn 2025 to renew their regional councils and presidents: Marche and Valle d’Aosta on 28 and 29 September, Calabria on 5 and 6 October, Tuscany on 12 and 13 October, and finally Campania, Puglia and Veneto, which will open the polls on Sunday 23 and Monday 24 November.
Do you work in public administration or even just for the PA? Be careful how and what you communicate during the election period.
Not everyone knows this, but the rules of “par condicio” also apply to all companies or organisations linked to public administrations, including schools and universities, health districts and hospitals, affiliated companies, and educational institutions, to name but a few. It is often thought that the rule only applies to municipalities, provinces and regions, but this is not the case: ignoring the rules can lead to unpleasant consequences.
During the periods leading up to elections, institutional communication is subject to strict restrictions aimed at ensuring the impartiality of public institutions. There are two fundamental criteria governing institutional communication during this phase: indispensability and impersonality, principles that aim to prevent the use of public communication for electoral purposes and which must be respected in all the institution’s communication channels and tools: press releases, billboards, websites, but also social media and advertising campaigns, to name but a few.
Here are some useful tips to avoid problems and penalties.
The regulatory framework of ‘Par Condicio’ and why it could apply to you too
Institutional communication during election periods is governed by Article 9 of Law No. 28 of 22 February 2000 (“Provisions for equal access to the media during election and referendum campaigns and for political communication“). This provision stipulates that, from the date of the announcement of the elections until the close of voting, all public administrations are prohibited from carrying out communication activities, with the exception of those carried out in an impersonal manner and which are essential for the effective performance of their functions.
The aim is to ensure that institutions maintain a neutral role without influencing or interfering in the conduct and outcome of electoral competitions, whether elections or referendums. The Corecom (Regional Communications Committees) initially assess reports and counter-arguments, but it is the Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM) that is responsible for enforcing these rules, intervening in the event of violations and sanctioning any abuses.
The principle of indispensability
The first pillar of institutional communication during an election period is the principle of indispensability, which requires public bodies to limit themselves to communications that are strictly necessary to ensure the normal functioning of the administrative machinery.
In concrete terms, this principle stipulates that:
- Communication must be limited to messages of public utility and service, such as health emergencies, public safety or extraordinary interventions.
- No content that could be interpreted as disguised electoral propaganda is disclosed.
Examples of indispensable communication include:
- Civil protection warnings about natural disasters.
- Urgent health communications, such as vaccination campaigns.
- Updates on essential public services, such as transport and schools.
On the contrary, communications on administrative results, future investments or non-urgent initiatives are prohibited as they could influence the electorate.
The principle of impersonality
The second key criterion is the principle of impersonality, which establishes that institutional communication must not contain direct or indirect references to political and institutional figures. This means that:
- Communication must be free of names, images or statements by political or institutional representatives.
- Institutions may not publish content that extols the work of a specific administration or its political representatives.
- Any essential information campaigns must be neutral and not attribute merit to individual representatives.
Strategies for proper communication during election periods
At this point, you may be asking yourself:
“So can a public body communicate during the election period?”
The answer is:
“Definitely yes, provided that these two criteria are met, which must always coexist.”
To avoid violations, certain strategies can be adopted:
- Plan communication activities in advance, avoiding high-profile announcements and initiatives in the run-up to elections.
- Limit the presence of political representatives in official communications, opting for neutral and informative language.
- Use only institutional channels, avoiding sponsorships or advertising campaigns that could generate ambiguity.
- Submit content to public communication and administrative law experts to ensure compliance.
SAY has the experience to help you communicate in accordance with Par Condicio regulations.
SAY has been working for years with various public bodies and institutions, handling press office and media relations or communication for specific projects, including through the organisation of events and promotional campaigns, both online and offline.
Over the years, we have worked alongside municipal and regional administrations, universities and bodies promoting the right to education, and public organisations in the fields of healthcare, sport and local public transport.
We are aware of the rules and precautions to be taken during the election period in order to handle communication in the correct manner, avoiding reports and unpleasant penalties, while ensuring the right visibility for our clients’ initiatives and projects.
Would you like to find out more?
