Italy makes it illegal to seek surrogacy abroad
The Guardian, BBC
Italy’s parliament has made it illegal for couples to go abroad to have a baby via surrogacy.
The move extends a ban on the practice inside the country to also include those who seek it out in places where it is legal, like the US or Canada. The new law penalises non-adherence with up to two years in prison and fines of up to €1 million. The law, proposed by Italy's far-right governing party led by PM Georgia Meloni, is seen by critics to target LGBT+ couples — who are not allowed to adopt or use IVF in the country.
Since coming to office in 2022, Meloni has pursued “a highly conservative social agenda, looking to promote what she sees as traditional family values”, making it progressively harder for Queer couples to become legal parents. The upper-house senate voted into law the bill that was proposed by Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party by 84 votes to 58. The bill had already been approved by the lower house last year.
“Motherhood is absolutely unique, it absolutely cannot be surrogated and it is the foundation of our civilization…We want to uproot the phenomenon of surrogacy tourism,” senator Lavinia Mennuni said during the parliamentary debate.
The move extends a ban on the practice inside the country to also include those who seek it out in places where it is legal, like the US or Canada. The new law penalises non-adherence with up to two years in prison and fines of up to €1 million. The law, proposed by Italy's far-right governing party led by PM Georgia Meloni, is seen by critics to target LGBT+ couples — who are not allowed to adopt or use IVF in the country.
Since coming to office in 2022, Meloni has pursued “a highly conservative social agenda, looking to promote what she sees as traditional family values”, making it progressively harder for Queer couples to become legal parents. The upper-house senate voted into law the bill that was proposed by Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party by 84 votes to 58. The bill had already been approved by the lower house last year.
“Motherhood is absolutely unique, it absolutely cannot be surrogated and it is the foundation of our civilization…We want to uproot the phenomenon of surrogacy tourism,” senator Lavinia Mennuni said during the parliamentary debate.