Protest Against Abortion and Euthanasia in Rome

Over a thousand people marched through the streets of central Rome on Saturday to demonstrate against the laws on abortion and euthanasia. The demonstration was called by the ‘Pro Vita & Famiglia’ association, an organization that advocates for the right to life from conception to natural death and promotes traditional family values.

Political Climate and Demographic Concerns

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, known for her campaign on “God, fatherland, and family,” has been focusing on encouraging women to have more children to address Italy’s demographic crisis. The country’s low birth rate, with each Italian woman having an average of only 1.2 children in 2023, has raised concerns about population stability.

In 2010, Italy’s population was 59.2 million, which slightly decreased to 58.8 million in 2023. To maintain a stable population, the birth rate needs to reach 2.1 children per woman.

“We know that there are those who consider us, who are against this law, to be troglodytes, backward, but we are against law 194, against abortion, we are pro-life,” said demonstrator Marco Andreoni.

Abortion has been legal in Italy since 1978, and while Meloni has no intention of reversing the law, recent legislation allows anti-abortion groups access to women seeking abortion counseling at public health centers.

Some political divisions have emerged over the interpretation of abortion rights, with the recent G7 summit’s final declaration omitting the word “abortion” but emphasizing the promotion of “reproductive health and rights.”