Italian government must stop persecuting same sex parents

Renew Europe has condemned Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's continued attack on rainbow families, which has no place in today’s European Union. We urge the Italian Government to change course and stop persecuting same sex parents, whose children should not be the victims of homophobic policies. Renew Europe will continue to raise this issue in the European Parliament.

We defend the full mutual recognition of the rights of rainbow families in all Member States and remind Georgia Meloni’s government that the CJEU ruled that Member States must uphold the rights of same-sex couples and their children under EU law.

Sophie in 't Veld (Netherlands), the Renew Europe group’s coordinator in the LIBE Committee said:

‘The self-declared reactionary champion of children’s’ rights and family values, cruelly and cowardly strips children of their rights. This deeply ideological effort to destroy rainbow families is reprehensible and has no place in Europe.’

‘Manfred Weber has to make clear where he stands: on the side of European values or on the side of Meloni’s homophobia. As Meloni is destroying rainbow families, Orban has childrens’ books removed from bookshops and Vox is calling for a ban on rainbow flags, it is essential that the European Parliament speaks out loud and clear for equality in Europe. Renew Europe calls for a plenary debate in September on the rise of homophobia and attacks on human rights.’

MEP Pierre Karleskind (Renaissance, France), Renew Europe shadow rapporteur on the parenthood regulation report and vice-president of the European Parliament's LGBTI Intergroup, said:

"The Italian decision is monstrous, because it simply amounts to the administrative removal of a child from one of its parents on the grounds of homosexuality. We cannot let children be the victims of this despicable far-right crusade against rainbow families”.