Angelino Alfano, Italy’s Minister for the Interior, has compared surrogacy to sex crimes.
The conservative politician who is a long time campaigner against gay rights , is also against un-wed heterosexual couples having children.
Surrogacy is “the most vile, illegal trade that man has invented,” Alfano told Italy’s Avvenire newspaper.
Italy is the last major Western nation to deny same-sex couples rights on issues such as parenthood. It was criicised in 2015 by by the European Court of Human Rights for failing to legislate on the issue.
Surrogacy is currently illegal in Italy, punishable by fines and up to two years in prison.
Mr Alfano’s suggestion is that the practice be treated in the same manner as sex offences and be dealt with via tougher punishments. The Minister has suggested that people found to be having children via surrogacy should be jailed.
Mr Alfano’s New Centre Right party (NCD) is a junior partner in the current coaltion government and also opposed to parents in same-sex relationships being allowed to adopt their partner’s children.
Image:”EPP Congress Marseille Angelino Alfano” by European People’s Party – Flickr: EPP Congress Marseille 6459. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons.
OIP Staff
