Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Italy’s senate rejects divisive bill aimed at fighting homophobia

Italy’s senate rejects divisive bill aimed at fighting homophobia

Italy’s senate moved to block a divisive bill that aimed to fight homophobia.
Italy's senate voted to reject a bill on Wednesday that would have banned anti-LGBTQ violence and discrimination.

A motion to block the so-called "Zan bill" passed by 154 votes to 131 after being put forward by right-wing parties Lega Nord and Fratelli d'Italia (Fdl).

The legislation would have amended Italy’s penal code to ban discrimination on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability.

It was first introduced by centre-left MP Alessandro Zan in the lower house in May 2018 in reaction to a growing wave of homophobic and transphobic attacks in Italy.

The bill passed the lower house of parliament in November 2020 but faced challenges in the Senate.

While embraced by its supporters as a welcome change in a country viewed as lagging behind its Western European neighbours on LGBT rights, its references to gender identity made it unpopular with right-wing politicians and Catholics, including the Vatican.

At present, the section of Italy’s penal code that specifically outlaws hate crimes and discrimination – or the "Mancino law", dating back to 1993 – only explicitly mentions “racial, ethnic, national or religious” motives.

Acts of discrimination on such grounds could land offenders an 18-month prison sentence or a €6,000 fine. Violent crimes could attract four years of incarceration.

"The arrogance of [Democratic Party leader] Letta has been punished,” tweeted Lega Nord leader and former interior minister Matteo Salvini, who had long rallied against the bill and proposed numerous amendments.

"He refused any dialogue and every proposed change from families, associations, from the Pope and representatives from the LGBT and feminist world. The result? #DDLZan flunked, months and years of useless discussions."

Democratic Party leader and former Italian PM Enrico Letta regretted the Senate's decision but said that change would eventually come.

"[T]hey wanted to halt the future. They wanted to bring Italy back. Yes, they and their dirtiness have won in the Senate today. But the country is on another side. And soon we will see it.”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
×