ROME - Italy’s parliament on Tuesday approved landmark legislation that formally designates femicide as a distinct criminal offense, punishable by life imprisonment, marking one of the most significant reforms to the country’s criminal code in decades.
The vote took place on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, an occasion established by the United Nations General Assembly, underscoring the symbolic weight of the decision. The bill passed the Lower Chamber with overwhelming bipartisan support, securing 237 votes in favor from both the center-right governing coalition and the center-left opposition.
The new law, strongly backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s conservative government, introduces the legal definition of femicide as the intentional killing of a woman motivated by gender-based discrimination, hatred, or attempts to suppress her personal freedoms or autonomy. Life imprisonment becomes mandatory for offenders, while access to certain sentence reductions and prison benefits is significantly restricted.
Beyond homicide, the legislation strengthens penalties and protective measures related to gender-based violence, including stalking, domestic abuse, and the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.
Public pressure for reform has intensified in recent years following a series of widely publicized femicides, including the 2023 murder of university student Giulia Cecchettin, a case that sparked nationwide debate over entrenched patriarchal attitudes and systemic failures in protecting women. According to Italy’s national statistics agency Istat, 106 women were killed in 2024, with 62 of the victims murdered by current or former partners.
While center-left parties supported the bill, they criticized the government for focusing heavily on punitive mechanisms without addressing broader structural issues such as social inequalities, inadequate prevention programs, and the need for comprehensive education on gender and relationships. Critics argue that without investment in cultural and economic reforms, legal measures alone will not halt the cycle of violence.
The debate has converged with mounting controversy over sexual and emotional education in schools. A government proposal seeks to ban such instruction at the elementary level and require parental consent for related high school curricula a move the ruling coalition says protects children from ideological influence, but which opposition leaders and rights advocates have condemned as regressive.
“Italy is one of only seven countries in Europe where sex and relationship education is not compulsory,” said Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein. “Repression alone is not enough. Prevention must begin in schools if we truly want to eradicate gender-based violence.”
As Italy joins a limited number of European nations that legally recognize femicide as a specific crime, experts note that the reform marks a critical step toward confronting gender-motivated violence. Yet many emphasize that its long-term impact will depend not only on judicial enforcement, but on the country’s willingness to pursue deeper cultural transformation.
