Italy’s new law giving pro-lifers access to abortion clinics stirs debate

7 months ago 41

Anti-abortion groups were granted access to facilities where women can terminate pregnancies following a vote from Italian senators on Tuesday, reigniting a debate on abortion despite Italy legalising the procedure 46 years ago.

The Senate gave final approval to a decree on Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which included a controversial amendment by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia (ECR) party to allow pro-life activists to enter abortion clinics, proposed after the party suggested that women awaiting abortions should listen to foetus’ heartbeats.

The amendment now allows regions to authorise groups “with a qualified experience supporting motherhood” to access public support centres where women considering abortions seek counselling.

Feminist activists and opposition MPs rallied outside the Senate on the day of the law’s passing, and demonstrations extended across various cities over the preceding week.

Partito Democratico’s Silvia Roggiani condemned the amendment, saying: “The right keeps on showing its nostalgic nature and its patriarchal and obscurantist vision, seeking every time to erode women’s rights. While other countries progress in the protection of gender rights, it’s only shameful that Italy should be taking steps back.”

But as its initial proponent, Meloni’s party defends the amendment, saying it provides women with an opportunity for contemplation before deciding on pregnancies and without infringing on their rights.

Regarding the abortion debate in Italy, a spokeswoman for the European Commission stated on 19 April that “the NRRP decree contains measures that concern the governance structure of the NRRP, but there are other aspects that are not covered and have no connection with the NRRP, such as the law on abortion.”

Meloni herself has pledged not to alter Italy’s abortion law established in 1978, even though, as things currently stand, easy access to abortion is not always guaranteed, as Italian doctors have the right to refuse to perform abortions on the grounds of conscience.

According to 2021 Health Ministry data, over 60% of gynaecologists refuse to perform abortions, with the percentage reaching nearly 90% in certain regions.

(Alessia Peretti | Euractiv.it)