Italy passed a law on 16 October that criminalises seeking surrogacy abroad. It is being claimed that the move would protect women’s dignity. As it is surrogacy is illegal in Italy. But the conservative government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed to broaden the ban to punish Italians who seek it in countries where it is legal. Italy’s Senate approved the Bill with 84 votes in favour and 58 against. 

The conservative lawmakers argued in the Senate that surrogacy exploits all women. According to them the new law would put an end to the hypocrisy go the current legal situation in Italy, where couples can easily circumvent the surrogacy ban by pursuing it abroad.