Italian PM Giorgia Meloni vows to crack down surrogacy, calls it ‘inhuman’ practice

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has voiced her opposition to surrogacy, saying it is an “inhuman” practice and should attract steeper penalties. This comes as her Brothers of Italy party introduces a bill to hike fines for surrogate parents from €600,000 to €1 million ($640,290 to $1,067,150) and increase jail terms from three months to two years.

Speaking Friday (Apr 12) at a conference ‘For a Young Europe: Demographic Transition, Environment, Future’ in Rome, Meloni said, “I continue to believe that surrogacy is an inhuman practice.”

“I support the bill that makes it a universal crime,” she added.

Her views about surrogacy are in line with views held by the Catholic Church. The church maintains that the practice violates the integrity of the child and the woman, who “becomes a mere means subservient to the arbitrary gain or desire of others.”

Move seen against LGBTQ+ communities

The move against surrogacy is seen as an attack on the rights of LGBTQ+ in Italy. The country, ruled by the right-wing PM, does not allow gay couples to be “married”, following principles of the Catholic Church.

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Meloni has also mandated the birth certificates to clearly mention “mother” and “father” rather than “parent 1” and “parent 2.” In 2023, her party led the efforts to remove the names of lesbian mothers from birth certificates.

Italy ‘working’ on improving birth rates

Speaking at the Friday conference, PM Meloni vowed to improve the country’s declining birth rates, by making women-friendly policies.

She said her government would make it easier for working women to find adequate child care and other support.

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“The demographic challenge, and the economic sustainability to which it is connected, is one of the main challenges for us,” she said. “There is no point in managing the present, if the future is not secure,” Meloni added.

To support larger families, Meloni has already announced tax cuts on baby formula and diapers. Additionally, the government is also planning public spending increases to support families, including baby bonuses and tax breaks for families with children.

(With inputs from agencies)