Italian women on Wednesday
demonstrated across the country for the continued availability
of free and safe abortions after pro-life Brothers of Italy
(FdI) leader and general election winner Giorgia Meloni said
during the election campaign she wanted to give women an
alternative to abortion.
Abortion is already hard to get in Italy due to the extremely
high number of Catholic conscientious objectors among doctors in
most regions, with percentages as high as 80-90%.
Meloni, Italy's presumed next premier, said on the stump that
while she "would not touch" the abortion law, she wanted people
to know there were "other options".
Among those demonstrating on World Day for Safe Abortions in
Perugia Wednesday was a member of the Umbrian network for
self-determination, gynecologist Marina Toschi.
She said "the new Meloni government won't touch Law 194, she
said it herself and it will probably be so, but it is enough not
to apply it or to make the process difficult and impossible, not
give information, close the consultancy clinics, change
operators.
"They won't do anything dramatic but they'll make life hard for
women, who I hope, however, will still be able to help each
other".
Pro-life group Pro Vita & Famiglia said "today is the so-called
international day for free, safe and free-of-charge abortion.
But in fact the only 'sure' thing about abortion is that it
kills an innocent child".
It said only volunteers today offered women a way out of
abortion and also cited health ministry figures saying a small
number of women died during abortions.
"We must help women and their unborn children" said the group.
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