Italy plans access for pro-lifers in pregnancy centres

In Italy and abroad, Meloni caused upheaval with her announcement that pro-life organisations should be able to enter pregnancy clinics where women come if they deal with an unwanted pregnancy.

Currently, women can go there for a conversation with an expert who can provide them with the necessary permission for an abortion. Until now, the centres were obliged to distribute leaflets from pro-life organisations that pointed out to women that there were other options than to terminate their pregnancy.

Four ethical challenges for prime minister Meloni

26-10-2022

But now, Premier Meloni wants to give these organisations even more authority. The measure she introduced is not a big law change, The New York Times reported earlier.

Actually, it is just in line with Italy's abortion law that dates from 1978. That legislation stipulates that family counselling centres are allowed to use "volunteer associations protecting motherhood to help women avoid terminating their pregnancies because of economic, social or family hardships" and that "women should get all necessary help to avoid an abortion."

Meloni said in an interview in 2022, she wanted to ensure that women who opt for an abortion knew that there were other possibilities.

Weekly column from Italy: Christian has a responsibility with conservative government

14-10-2022

Space

Meloni's decision leads to mixed reactions. Some pro-life organisations responded with happiness, just like the Cardinal secretary of state from the Vatican, Pietro Parolin, the Dutch daily Reformatorisch Dagblad reported.

However, others are a bit more sceptical. Laura Cristofari from the "Centre for Assistance to Life" told The New York Times that she does not expect the law to change much. Her organisation already had a space in a local hospital where they could meet pregnant women who were considering abortion.

Italy unable to give all women access to abortion

22-06-2022

The Pro-Life and Family organisation already indicated that it was not planning on entering pregnancy counselling centres, The New York Times reported. Instead, the organisation would rather focus on a change of policy that would make it harder for women to obtain an abortion, its president, Jacopo Coghe, said.

Also, among abortion proponents, reactions and expectations vary. Some protest fiercely against the planned law change, while others do not think a change in legislation will have big consequences in practice.

However, abortion rights activists do complain about the current state of accessibility of abortion in Italy. Many doctors conscientiously object to performing an abortion. In fact, more than 60 per cent refuse to do so.

Pressure

Meloni's new proposal has led to upset political responses as well. The opposition in Italy accuses her of exposing women to psychological pressure. They also blame her for taking the attention away from other internal problems in the country.

Italy: regional government withdraws support for Pride March

09-06-2023

But even from outside Italy, politicians felt the need to speak out against the proposal. The Spanish Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, published a post on X, reading that "allowing intimidation of women who want to terminate their pregnancy undermines a right recognised by law."

Permitir el acoso organizado contra las mujeres que quieren interrumpir su embarazo es socavar un derecho reconocido por ley. Es la estrategia de la ultraderecha: amedrentar para revertir derechos, para frenar la igualdad entre mujeres y hombres. https://t.co/AXW7zoObI0

— Ana Redondo (@_anaredondo_) April 17, 2024

Meloni, however, responded that she is not changing anything about the current abortion law in Italy and that it is an internal issue.

Other critics pointed out that the way in which Meloni tried to reinforce the law change was unfair. The Italian premier used the Covid relief spending bill as a rider. According to the EU spokesperson for Economic Affairs, abortion had nothing to do with this relief plan, the Reformatorisch Dagblad writes.

The Italian Minister of European Affairs, Raffaele Fitto, urged Meloni to withdraw the amendment.