In recent years, some city registrars in Italy had begun to record only the name of the biological mother on birth certificates and not the name of her partner.
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Italy's Constitutional Court has ruled that two women can register as parents of a child on a birth certificate, saying recognition of parental rights can't be restricted to the biological mother alone in families with same-sex parents.
The court ruled that it was unconstitutional for city registrars to deprive children born to same sex-parents of recognition by both the biological mother and the woman who consented to the medically assisted pregnancy of her partner and assumed parental responsibilities.
Advocates for LGBTQ+ celebrated the ruling, saying it was a "historic day for civil rights in Italy."
"At last what we have been saying all along is being recognised: boys and girls have the right to see both parents recognised, from birth, even when they are two mothers," pro-LGBTQ+ group Rainbow Families said in a statement.
The group said the ruling served as a reminder to politicians that constitutionally, it's "no longer possible to continue pretending that we do not exist."
"It is a heavy political defeat for all those who have made discrimination a flag and a crusade on the skin of children. Today the Court clarifies that that crusade is outlawed, against the Constitution. It also applies to this government that has used rainbow families as a political target, dragging parents and children into the courts, denying affection, rights and dignity," said Elly Schlein, Secretary of the Democratic Party (PD).
An extensional joke
The association Pro Life and Family denounced the ruling as illogical and meant thousands of children born to same-sex parents were launched into "an existential joke."
In recent years, some city registrars in Italy had begun to record only the name of the biological mother on birth certificates and not the name of her partner.
In order to have legal rights and responsibility over the child, the non-biological mother then had to "adopt" the child.
A 2004 law had provided for such limited parental recognition.
But thanks to an Interior Ministry circular in 2023, the restrictions were being enforced anew as part of the policy of the far-right-led government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to crack down on surrogacy and promote traditional family values.
The ruling doesn't address the legality of medically assisted procreation.
Italy has strong restrictions on IVF and has had a ban on surrogacy since 2004.
Last year, Italy expanded the ban to criminalise Italians who go abroad to have children through surrogacy.