During the 2022 electoral campaign, fear arose in Italy that if the leader of the Brothers of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, came to govern, the far right could put women's right to have an abortion at risk. Meloni then promised that, if he came to power, he had no intention of repealing the abortion law, in force in Italy since 1978. But when he put an avowed anti-abortionist, Eugenia Roccella, at the head of the Family Ministry, it soon became clear that This argument would continue to be part of the public debate. While France has just recognized the freedom of women to have an abortion in the Constitution, the Italian Executive has not repealed the abortion law, but has promoted other obstacles to pregnant women who want to do so.
The latest initiative that has put feminists on a war footing is to shield a package of amendments for the reception of European recovery funds in the Italian Chamber of Deputies, controlled by the right-wing government majority, which includes the possibility that anti-abortion associations enter the clinics where women go to terminate their pregnancies, or simply to ask for information on how to do so.
This is an amendment presented by the deputy Lorenzo Malagola, from the Brothers of Italy, which provides that Italian regions can use European funds after the pandemic dedicated to health to organize services in clinics “without new or increased public expenses.” also involving “third sector subjects who have qualified experience in supporting motherhood.” That is, they will be able to use community money to finance these so-called pro-life groups and open the doors to clinics, the national health service centers to support pregnant women. Although the measure, formulated in an ambiguous text and hidden in a broad package with different items, still needs to be approved this Thursday in the Chamber of Deputies and also receive the green light from the Senate later, as the right-wing coalition has a majority in both cameras it is taken for granted that it will continue.
In reality, Meloni has not gone back on his word, since during the election campaign he made it very clear what the direction of his government was going to be on this matter. She, who defines herself as a “woman, a mother and a Christian,” explained that they did not plan to repeal the abortion law, but “give the right to women who think that abortion is the only option they have to make a decision.” different decision.” It is the same argument that the deputy of his party Fabio Rampelli has used, who says that the objective of this measure is to offer women who want to abort “an opportunity to reflect, at no cost to the State, as already provided for by law.” . “We must not criminalize those who are against abortion,” said the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani. On the other hand, the main opposition parties, the Democratic Party (PD) and the 5 Star Movement (M5E) have criticized the amendment as an assault on the right to terminate pregnancy.
What the amendment package allows is actually already happening in many Italian regions, especially those governed by conservatives. As in Piedmont, where not only have funds been dedicated to anti-abortion associations, but they are about to inaugurate a “listening” room in a Turin hospital dedicated to convincing women to continue with the pregnancy. In Marche, for example, getting the abortion pill is much more complicated than in other regions. Everything happens in a country where abortion is already very difficult, because more than 60% of gynecologists are conscientious objectors. In some regions it is very difficult to find doctors in public centers willing to practice them.
