On May 21, the European Parliament opened submissions for the fifth edition of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism. This annual award recognizes exceptional journalism that supports or defends the European Union’s core values, including human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, and human rights.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola stated: “A free press is the best shield for democracy. Journalists must be free to report without fear of censorship, intimidation, or retaliation. The European Parliament will always defend and stand up for media and press freedom.”
Metsola further emphasized that the prize honors those who expose uncomfortable truths: “The Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism honours those who shine a light in the darkest corners — because speaking truth to power should never come with a price. The prize embodies European Parliament’s steadfast dedication to truth and free speech and belongs to every journalist who fights for the facts, no matter how uncomfortable they are. Journalistic freedom is what makes our democracy thrive.”
Professional journalists and teams from any nationality can participate by submitting in-depth pieces published or broadcast by media outlets based in one of the 27 EU countries. An independent jury comprising representatives from the press and civil society across these member states will select the winning entry.
The award ceremony occurs annually around October 16th, marking the anniversary of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination. The €20,000 prize highlights the European Parliament’s commitment to investigative journalism and media freedom.
In recent years, Parliament has voiced concerns over attempts within and outside the EU to undermine media pluralism. Efforts by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) led to significant legislative achievements such as the European Media Freedom Act in March 2024 and an anti-SLAPP directive approved in February 2024.
Journalists can submit their work online at https://daphnejournalismprize.eu/ until July 31, 2025.
Past winners include “The Pegasus Project” (2021), a documentary on “The Central African Republic under Russian Influence” (2022), a joint investigation on the Pylos migrant boat shipwreck (2023), and an investigation on missing unaccompanied child migrants (2024).
Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese journalist known for her reports on corruption and organized crime. Her murder in October 2017 led to widespread criticism of Malta’s handling of her case and contributed to political changes within the country.
