The Lazio regional government said
Monday that it has pulled its sponsorship of the Roma Pride 2023
event while reiterating its "commitment to civil rights".
The executive of centre-right Governor Francesco Rocca said the
region's name could not be associated with "events aimed at
promoting illegal conduct, with specific reference to
surrogacy".
Surrogacy, which is illegal in Italy, has become a hot topic
under the right-ring government of Premier Giorgia Meloni, whose
Brothers of Italy (FdI) party presented the bill that would
prosecute Italians who resort to using surrogate mothers in
countries like Spain and the US where it is legal, making it a
"universal crime".
Many gay couples in Italy have had children via surrogacy.
In March the government drew criticism from the opposition and
rights activists after it instructed city mayors to stop
registering both members of a same-sex couple as the parents of
a child via a procedure based on the transcription into Italian
civic registers of the foreign birth certificates of children
conceived via surrogacy or assisted fertility, which is only
available to heterosexual couples in Italy, citing a ruling by
the Court of Cassation, Italy's highest court.
This has led to concern that same-sex parent families will face
multiple practical and legal problems, with only the member of
the couple who is the biological parent of the child registered
as its legal parent.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
