Italy’s parliament has delayed a debate over a landmark law that would define sex without consent as rape amid a rift within the ruling coalition.
The measure, the result of a rare pact between the far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, and her main political opponent, the centre-left leader, Elly Schlein, passed in the lower house last week and had been expected to get final approval in the senate this week.
But the debate has been unexpectedly stalled by the League, the far-right coalition ally led by the deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, who argued that the law would “clog up the courts” and be used as a form of revenge.
The bill stipulates that anyone who engages in sexual acts without the other person’s explicit consent can face a prison term of six to 12 years. The aim of the measure is to make it easier for victims to report and prosecute rape.
In Italy, sexual violence is defined as forcing someone to undergo sexual acts through threats, physical force or abuse of authority. But the criminal code does not explicitly recognise the absence of consent as sufficient grounds for bringing a charge.
Salvini said that while he backed the law in principle, the current draft “leaves too much open to the individual’s interpretation” and risked fuelling conflict rather than reducing violence.
“It leaves room for women and men to use a vague law for personal vendettas without any abuse taking place,” he told reporters.
The postponement came after Italy’s parliament gave the final approval this week to a bill making femicide a distinct crime, punishable with a life sentence. The plan had been for both measures to be passed to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November.
Figures on the left have speculated that the setback was caused by the Meloni coalition’s failure to secure what would have been key wins in regional elections in Campania and Puglia this week. Both southern regions remained with the left after strong victories by an alliance led by Schlein’s Democratic party, giving the group hopes of ousting Meloni from power in 2027 elections.
Schlein told reporters she had spoken to Meloni about the delay to the bill, “precisely to ask her to respect the agreement [on it]”, but did not reveal Meloni’s response. She added “it would be a serious thing” if the delay was the result of a post-electoral reaction within the ruling majority, with “women paying the price”.
Schlein has been invited to Atreju, the annual festival organised by Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, in December, and said she would go on condition of having a face-to-face debate with the prime minister over this issue and others.
Government ministers sought to downplay the row. Eugenia Roccella, the family minister, said it was “better to take more time” and “pass a convincing bill”, while the justice minister, Carlo Nordio, said the delay was required owing to technical issues and would still be approved.
The senate debate is now expected to take place in January.
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