Giorgia Meloni criticizes the “artificial debate” around abortion

On Saturday, June 15, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who chaired the G7 summit, criticized “artificial controversy” Regarding the failure to mention the right to abortion in the leaders’ final statement.

He added, “The controversy was built in a completely artificial way, and in fact it is a controversy that did not happen at the summit (…) because there was nothing to argue about.” Giorgia Meloni confirmed during the closing press conference of the summit, while this topic made headlines in the media in Italy and abroad.

An iron hand

In the final declaration issued on Friday evening, the leaders of the world's seven richest democracies did not directly refer to the right to abortion. A big change from the last summit in Hiroshima, Japan in 2023, when the press release showed they were sticking to the summit. “Access to safe and legal abortion and post-abortion care services”. The issue sparked a behind-the-scenes confrontation between delegations.

The United States, France and the European Union, in particular, wanted to keep this wording, but the Italian Prime Minister, at the head of an ultra-conservative party that holds the rotating presidency of the G7, flatly refused to write black on white. The formula approved last year.

The final announcement published on Friday simply reiterates “Hiroshima Leaders’ Declaration Commitments to women’s access to comprehensive, appropriate and affordable quality health services, including sexual and reproductive rights and universal health”.

Macron vs. Meloni

“Usually in these documents, to avoid repeating it unnecessarily when repeating something, we refer to previous documents.”I tried to justify Giorgia Meloni.

The dispute came to light in Puglia on Thursday, in the form of a face-to-face quarrel between Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni. In response to the press's question about the absence of the word “miscarriage”The French president said “We're sorry about that” All in “Respect» The policy that stems from “Sovereign choice” Italians.

The outing angered Giorgia Meloni, whose government passed a law, passed in parliament, allowing anti-abortion activists access to the public health system's counseling clinics for women considering voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG). “This is a serious mistake” to “Campaign using a valuable forum like the G7”She responded to Emmanuel Macron.

Any mention of “gender identity” has disappeared.

Regarding the rights of LGBTQ+ communities, the Italian G7 text is also less comprehensive than the 2023 text, even if it is clearly stated. “Deeply concerned about the decline in the rights of women, girls and LGBT people around the world, especially in times of crisis.”.

Likewise, in 2023, the G7 expressed the need for protection and support “Diversity, especially with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity”. In the 2024 Declaration, any mention of “gender identity” He disappeared. Here again, Ms. Meloni stressed that there had been “no rollback” on the rights of the LGBT community.