Italy's New Surrogacy Ban: A Closer Look

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently signed a controversial ban on surrogacy, sparking immediate backlash. Meloni described the law as a rule of common sense, aimed at preventing the exploitation of women's bodies and children. She emphasized that human life is priceless and not a commodity. While Meloni presents a more moderate image to the international community, critics at home argue that this ban is a move to appease her hard-right supporters. They see it as a policy driven by identity politics. Opponents of the law believe it targets the reproductive rights of LGBTQ+ couples. In Italy, such couples are already barred from adopting or using in vitro fertilization. Alessia Crocini, the president of Rainbow Families, a group supporting LGBTQ+ parents, called the law an "ideological law" and part of a "right-wing crusade against diverse families. " Filomena Gallo of the Luca Coscioni Association, which promotes civil rights, criticized the law as "useless and even harmful" if the goal is to protect people and prevent exploitation. She warned that it threatens the rights of children already born via surrogacy. The association suggested an alternative law that would legalize surrogacy without profit, although this may not be feasible. During the debate, Ilaria Cucchi, a senator for the Green and Left Alliance, stated that the law is an "inhumane act against parents and children" that only fuels stigma and discrimination.