Italian parliament votes to makes femicide a crime

Italian politicians have unanimously backed a bill making femicide - the intentional killing of women or girls - a specific crime punishable by life imprisonment.

The new article in the penal code creates a category of homicide "based on the characteristics of the victim", according to the bill's explanatory note.

Italian law had previously only provided for aggravating circumstances in cases where the killer was married or related to the victim.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed the vote and called the measure a tool to "defend the freedom and dignity of every woman".

The government initiative, already approved by the Senate in July, passed with 237 votes in favour and none against.

The new article mandates life imprisonment for acts intended to cause the death of a woman "out of discrimination, hatred or violence" among other reasons.

The United Nations marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women yesterday with a report saying that some 50,000 women and girls died last year at the hands of their partners or family members.

Italy's national statistics institute (Istat) said 116 of the 327 homicides recorded in the country in 2024 involved women and girls.

In 92.2% of the cases, men were the killers.