Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has denounced surrogate parenthood as an “inhuman” practice, likening it to treating children as mere commodities. She called upon the parliament to pass legislation to prosecute individuals who seek surrogacy services abroad.
Surrogacy is already illegal in Italy, carrying penalties of imprisonment and fines. However, Melon’s right-wing coalition aims to enact even stricter measures against it as part of their conservative agenda.
Speaking at an event in Rome, Meloni expressed her firm opposition, stating, “No one can convince me that renting a womb is an act of freedom, or treating children as products in a supermarket is an act of love.”
She continued to emphasize her stance, labeling surrogacy as inhumane and endorsing proposed legislation to criminalize it unversally.
Currently, the Italian parliament is deliberating a bill proposed by Melon’s Brothers of Italy party, which seeks to prevent Italian from engaging in surrogacy arrangements in countries where is is legal, such as the United States and Canada.
This stance aligns with the position of the Vatican. However, the bill has faced criticism for rights groups and some opposition figures, who argue that it unfairly targets LGBTQ individuals.
Former foreign minister Emma Bonino emphasized the need for a balanced approach, suggesting that the issue should be addressed through regulation rather than blanket prohibition.
