What's the controversy with La Civito?

I agree with both Beĉjo and Tim who've captured essential elements of what La Civito is about. Another way to look at it is as an alternative structure for organizing the Esperanto community: La Civito proposes itself as the government of Esperantujo (they call it Esperantio. They claim it's a democracy and that anyone can join. All you have to do is agree to their statement of principles. But it really does look like a cult of personality around Giorgio Silfer. Personally, I'm unconvinced that Esperantujo needs a government -- or a bunch of silly titles -- if it wants to be taken seriously at all.

I think you'll get a variety of answers to your question, but here's my (admitted biased) attempt.

If Raumism is basically the idea that Esperanto-speakers represent a linguistic diaspora (a minority culture), the Civito is the attempt to give that diaspora some sort of pseudo-state and government, with its own constitution, court, parliament, laws, elected officials, and political parties. Trouble is, it's a sham. There are only a few hundred members of the Civito at best, with 19 senate members. The leadership positions get passed around between the same people, all centered around one particular individual, Giorgio Silfer. The Civito's pompous language make its proclamations seem more important than they really are -- just pretend, sound, and fury, with no authority. The Vikipedio article on the Civito is entertaining -- see how many "legislative bodies" you can count. I think there's more than the US government, which represents 300 million people, not 300.

Libera Folio certainly isn't a neutral party. It takes great glee at the Civito's missteps and humiliations. There are deep personal and political differences between the Civito's leadership and the writers and editors at Libera Folio, especially Jorge Camacho, who has written at length against the Civito. He's probably giving the Civito more attention than it deserves, but it's good that there's a dissenting voice to the Civito's torrent of meaningless titles and proclamations.

I don't think the Civito is dangerous. I think it's silly, and it won't exist in twenty or thirty years, so it's hardly worth worrying about. Camacho's writings have helped to point out that the Civito has no clothes. I don't think that the majority of the Esperanto community takes the Civito seriously -- and rightly so.

I've interacted a few times with individual members of the Civito, even some of the senatanoj and vickonsuloj. Many are good and hardworking Esperantists, and I am happy to collaborate with them when I have the chance, even though I don't agree with the politics, tactics, or mission of the Civito. I also respect the writers and editors at Libera Folio, who are similarly good and hardworking Esperantists, and whose views on the Civito are closer to my own.