Premier Giorgia Meloni on Friday
blasted surrogacy and said she was supporting a bill that would
make the practice a "universal crime".
"I continue to believe that surrogacy is an inhuman practice,"
Meloni told a conference entitled 'For a Young Europe:
Demographic Transition, Environment, Future'.
"I support the bill that makes it a universal crime. I hope it
is approved as soon as possible".
Surrogacy is already illegal in Italy but, by making it a
universal crime, the bill, presented by Meloni's right-wing
Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, would make it possible to
prosecute Italians who resort to using surrogate mothers in
countries like Spain and the US where the practice is legal.
Some Italian gay people have become parents via surrogacy.
The bill, which is now before the Senate, would punish
involvement in surrogacy with fines of up to one million euros
($860,000), as well as two year jail terms.
Pope Francis has also repeatedly criticized surrogacy and the
Vatican said in a new document on human dignity that it wants to
see a "universal" ban on the practice.
The focus of Friday's conference was on reversing declining
birth rates, an issue that Meloni said is an "absolute priority"
for her government.
"The demographic challenge, and the economic sustainability to
which it is connected, is one of the main challenges for us,"
she said.
"There is no point in managing the present, if the future is not
secure.
"The government has the responsibility to guarantee a future for
the nation.
"The approach with which this government is addressing these
issues marks a fundamental change of pace compared to the past.
"Public spending to support births is good spending, with a very
high multiplier effect. It cannot be considered in the same way
as other budget expenditure.
"Public spending aimed at supporting the birth rate is an item
that, more than any other, should be considered a productive
investment, because it is an investment in the stability of our
social system and our civilization".
(see related story).
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