Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has declared surrogate parenthood an inhumane practice, equating children to commodities in a supermarket. Furthermore, Meloni has called on parliament to pass legislation to prosecute those who travel abroad for surrogacy.
For context, surrogacy is prohibited in Italy, with associated penalties including imprisonment and fines. Meloni's right-wing coalition is advocating for even more stringent restrictions against surrogacy as part of their agenda.
Meloni stated during an event, 'No one can convince me that renting one's womb is an act of freedom, nor can anyone persuade me that viewing children as over-the-counter supermarket products is an act of love.' She voiced her unwavering belief that the practice of womb renting is inhumane and supported the proposed law to criminalize it globally.
The Italian parliament is deliberating over a bill prepared by Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, aiming to ban Italians from having children in countries where surrogacy is legal, such as the United States and Canada.
Though the bill has been approved by Italy's lower house Chamber and Senate, opposition politicians have criticized it, viewing it as targeting LGBTQ+ individuals. Former Foreign Minister Emma Bonino suggested that regulation balancing the rights at stake would be a preferable approach to a universal ban on the issue.
