The Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s far-right-led government achieved a victory with the Senate’s approval of a law allowing anti-abortion groups access to women considering ending pregnancies. This move has revived tensions around the issue of abortion in Italy, 46 years after it was legalized in the predominantly Catholic country. The law, already passed by the lower Chamber of Deputies, permits regions to allow groups with experience supporting motherhood access to public support centers where women consider abortions. The amendment, sponsored by Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, fulfills the original intent of the 1978 law legalizing abortion, known as Law 194, by preventing the procedure and supporting motherhood, according to the right-wing perspective.
Opponents from the left-wing argue that the legislation chips away at abortion rights that had been warned would follow Meloni’s 2022 election. They fear that the right-wing government opposes women’s reproductive autonomy, dreads women’s choices regarding motherhood, sexuality, and abortion, as expressed by Cecilia D’Elia, a Democratic Party senator. The 1978 law in Italy permits abortion upon request in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, or later if a woman’s health or life is at risk. It allows healthcare personnel to declare as conscientious objectors and refuse to perform abortions, leading to limited access to the procedure for some women who may need to travel far.
Meloni campaigned on a platform emphasizing “God, fatherland, and family,” and has emphasized that she does not intend to roll back the 1978 law but rather wants to fully implement it. She is prioritizing encouraging women to have more babies to address Italy’s declining birth rate, one of the lowest in the world, which reached a record low with 379,000 babies born last year. Meloni’s conservative forces, supported by the Vatican, are aiming to promote at least 500,000 births annually by 2033 to prevent the economy from collapsing under the weight of Italy’s aging population.
Meloni has defended the amendment by stating it aims to provide all information and opportunities available to guarantee a free choice for women considering abortion, in line with Law 194. She refuted claims from the left-wing opposition, calling them “fake news” and pointing out that the law includes measures to prevent abortions, including counseling women about alternatives. The tension over abortion in Italy comes as other European countries make progress in ensuring access to abortion, such as France enshrining the right to abortion in its constitution and Malta easing strict abortion laws.
The left-wing in Italy is concerned that the country may follow the U.S., where states are tightening restrictions on abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned landmark legislation guaranteeing nationwide access. Elly Schlein, head of Italy’s opposition Democratic Party, called for establishing a mandatory percentage of doctors willing to perform abortions in public hospitals to ensure that reproductive rights are upheld in practice and not just on paper. Italy’s new tensions over abortion underscore the ongoing debate between differing political ideologies and values in the country.
