Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called upon the country's parliament to pass a bill, drafted by her party, that would forbid Italians from engaging in surrogacy arrangements in countries where it is legal. Meloni condemned surrogacy as an "inhuman" practice, likening it to treating children as commodities available in a supermarket. While surrogacy is already prohibited in Italy and carries penalties including imprisonment and fines, Meloni's right-wing coalition seeks to impose a more stringent ban as part of its conservative agenda.
During an event in Rome, Meloni emphasized her opposition to surrogacy, stating her belief that renting one's womb and viewing children as products for purchase are incompatible with freedom and love. She underscored her support for legislation criminalizing surrogacy universally, labeling it as inhumane.
The bill currently under discussion in the Italian parliament, authored by Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, aims to prevent Italians from pursuing surrogacy arrangements in countries where it is legally permissible, such as the United States and Canada. This stance aligns with the position of the Vatican.
Although the bill has received approval from Italy's lower house Chamber and is now under review in the Senate, it has faced criticism from rights groups and some opposition figures who view it as discriminatory against LGBTQ individuals. Former foreign minister Emma Bonino argued that the issue requires regulation rather than a blanket prohibition, emphasizing the need to balance the rights of all involved parties.
