Italy’s Senate approved a new law on Wednesday that makes it illegal for Italian citizens to seek surrogacy in other countries. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a strong advocate of the legislation, has championed the policy, which critics argue disproportionately targets same-sex couples.
The bill, proposed by Meloni’s conservative Brothers of Italy party, builds on the country’s two-decade ban on domestic surrogacy. With a vote of 84-58, the legislation had already passed the lower chamber last year, according to the Washington Post.
Under the new law, those found guilty of seeking surrogacy abroad face a fine of up to 1 million euros and a prison sentence of up to two years.
“I continue to believe that surrogacy is an inhuman practice,” Meloni said in April at a conference on demographic transition. She echoed sentiments often expressed by the Catholic Church, stating, “I support the bill that makes it a universal crime.”
Despite Italy’s declining birth rate — which in 2023 saw only 6.4 births per 1,000 inhabitants, down from 9.4 in 2002 — Meloni and other right-wing officials have supported the ban. Critics argue that this law, which affects couples seeking surrogacy in countries where the practice is legal, is out of step with addressing Italy's demographic challenges.
Eugenia Roccella, a member of Meloni’s cabinet, defended the move, stating, “People are not objects, children cannot be bought, and you cannot sell or rent human body parts.”
However, opposition voices, like MP Riccardo Magi, have strongly criticized the legislation and vowed to challenge it in the Constitutional Court. Magi argued that “women’s bodies, wombs, and freedom belong to women. Not to Giorgia Meloni. Not to this government. Not to any government.”
Earlier this year, Meloni proposed addressing the country’s low birth rate by offering baby bonuses and tax incentives for families with children. Despite these efforts, the controversial surrogacy law has sparked a heated debate in Italian politics.
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