Italian senator from PM Meloni's party says having children should be women's 'mission', draws flak

A female senator of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right wing party sparked outrage on Thursday (Dec 28) when she said that young women's "first aspiration" should be to have children. Meloni's party, Brothers of Italyis emphasising on reversing Italy's declining birth rate and promote the traditional family structure. The party is also clamping down on same sex-parenting.

"My mother always used to tell me ... you must always remember that you have the opportunity to do whatever you want, but you must never forget that your first aspiration must be to be a mother yourself," senator Lavinia Mennuni said.

The senator was speaking during a talk show on La7 TV channel and was sitting next to a Catholic archbishop. Mennuni said that religious institutions needed to make maternity "cool" again in addition to encouraging young people to marry early.

"There is a need, let's say a mission, because I think it is a beautiful thing, (for women) to bring children into the world who will be the future citizens, the future Italians," said the 47-year-old lawmaker who has three children herself.

The flak

Mennuni's comments drew criticism from other political corners in the country's politics. Senator Raffaella Paita, who represents centrist Italia Viva party lashed out at Mennuni saying such comments represented "an embarrassing backwardness".

"Her words resonate with ideas from an obscurantist past, fortunately outdated," Paita said.

Chiara Appendino from the left-leaning Five Star Movement, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) saying that Brothers of Italy was suffering from "Medieval nostalgia". She added that young women should be "the freedom to dream and the means to accomplish themselves as they wish."

This is not the first time Mennuni sparked controversy. Just last week she proposed a bill seeking to prevent school directors from stopping Catholic-themed activities like setting up Jesus Christ nativity scene and so on.

(With inputs from agencies)