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Italy unanimously criminalizes femicide with life sentences in landmark law
Italian lawmakers voted unanimously on Tuesday to classify femicide-the gender-motivated murder of women-as a distinct criminal offense punishable by life imprisonment. The historic decision coincided with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, marking a symbolic and legal turning point after years of advocacy.
The bill, championed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's hard-right government but backed across the political spectrum, follows the 2023 murder of 22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin by her ex-boyfriend, a case that galvanized national outrage. Deputies wore red ribbons during the debate to honor victims, underscoring the law's emotional and political weight.
From tragedy to legal reform
Cecchettin's killing-her body dumped in plastic bags by a lake after a stabbing-dominated headlines for weeks. But it was her sister Elena's searing critique of Italy's patriarchal culture-calling the killer not a "monster" but a "healthy son" of systemic misogyny-that sparked protests and forced the issue onto the legislative agenda. Two years later, MPs approved a law defining femicide as murders driven by "hatred, discrimination, domination, control, or subjugation of a woman as a woman," including cases where victims end relationships or assert independence.
Italy now joins Cyprus, Malta, and Croatia as the only EU nations with a legal definition of femicide. The law mandates separate statistical tracking of such crimes and automatic life sentences, a measure intended to deter violence. Police data from 2024 recorded 116 women killed, with 106 classified as gender-motivated-cases that will now trigger the new penalties.
"Femicides will be classified, studied in their real context-they will exist. Talking of these crimes as 'exasperated love' or 'jealousy' is a distortion that romanticizes violence."
Judge Paola di Nicola, co-author of the law and member of the expert commission that analyzed 211 recent murders of women
Criticism and challenges ahead
While celebrated as progress, the law faces skepticism. Legal scholars like Valeria Torre of Foggia University warn its broad definition-requiring proof of gender-based motive-could complicate prosecutions, particularly in intimate-partner violence cases where motives are often obscured. "There's no legal gap here," Torre argued. "What we need is economic investment to address inequality, not symbolic gestures."
Others, including Giulia's father Gino Cecchettin, emphasize education over legislation. His foundation, launched after his daughter's murder, pushes for mandatory school programs on emotional intelligence and gender respect. "We must dismantle the 'Superman' or 'Macho Man' models," he told reporters, noting resistance from far-right MPs who oppose compulsory sex education for younger students.
Broader struggles with gender inequality
The law's passage arrives as Italy grapples with entrenched disparities. Ranking 85th on the Global Gender Gap Index-near the bottom of the EU-fewer than half of Italian women are employed. Advocates like Fabiana Costantino of Action Aid Italy argue that femicide is the "tip of the pyramid" of violence, rooted in everyday sexism. Her organization's Museum of the Patriarchy exhibition in Rome confronts visitors with projections of victims' names and recordings of street harassment, framing misogyny as a cultural crisis.
"To end femicide, we must destroy the base of the pyramid-systemic inequality. Prevention means building equality, not just punishing violence after the fact."
Fabiana Costantino, Action Aid Italy
Political unity and lingering doubts
The 237-0 vote reflected rare cross-party consensus, with a governing-party MP declaring in closing remarks that gender-based violence "will not be tolerated, will not go unpunished." Yet Judge di Nicola acknowledged the law is only a first step: "Italy is finally confronting the deep roots of this violence. The debate itself is progress."
For Gino Cecchettin, the law's symbolic value outweighs its practical limits. "Before, even mentioning 'femicide' was taboo for some," he said. "Now we can talk about it. That's a small step-but steps matter." His foundation continues to lobby for school reforms, arguing that legal deterrents alone cannot shift cultural norms.
Reporting contributed by Giulia Tommasi in Rome.
