A big row broke out on Thursday
between Deputy Premier and Transport and Infrastructure Minister
Matteo Salvini's League and the opposition, centre-left
Democratic Party (PD) over mothers serving time in prison.
It erupted after the PD lawmakers withdrew their signatures from
a bill designed to benefit mothers in jail, causing the draft
legislation to elapse.
PD lawmaker Alessandro Zan said the move was linked to
amendments presented by the ruling right-wing coalition,
including measures making it possible for pregnant women and
mothers with babies under one year of age to go to to prison.
"We presented the bill to improve the conditions of mothers in
prison, but the ruling majority transformed it, inserting
measures that made it worse," said Zan.
"This way it makes no sense".
Salvini reacted furiously, saying the PD was "freeing bag
snatchers" of Roma ethnicity who "use children and pregnancy" to
get away with offences.
"You should be ashamed of yourselves," he said, adding that the
League would present a new bill reintroducing these measures.
Under the new bill, League sources said, pregnant mothers who
re-offend would not be spared jail time, a they are often now.
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