Italy’s parliament has unanimously approved a groundbreaking law that classifies femicide—the murder of a woman motivated by gender—as a standalone crime punishable by life imprisonment.

The vote, held on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, reflects mounting public outrage over recent high-profile killings and marks Italy’s most sweeping legal reform on gender-based violence in decades.

All 237 deputies backed the measure in a marathon session marked by applause and red ribbons worn in solidarity with victims. The legislation, introduced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government and supported across party lines, defines femicide as killings rooted in “hatred, discrimination, domination, control, or subjugation” of women, including acts tied to ending relationships or restricting freedoms. It mandates automatic life sentences and requires separate recording of femicide cases to improve tracking and research.

Judge Paola di Nicola, a member of the expert commission that studied 211 recent murders of women, hailed the law as a breakthrough for exposing motives of power and hierarchy rather than framing such crimes as acts of jealousy or passion.

The urgency for reform intensified after the 2023 murder of 22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin by her ex-boyfriend, Filippo Turetta, a case that sparked nationwide protests and was amplified by Giulia’s sister Elena’s denunciation of patriarchal norms. The tragedy was echoed in the 2025 killing of 14-year-old Martina Carbonaro, also by an ex-boyfriend, fueling fresh demonstrations. Giulia’s father, Gino Cecchettin, welcomed the law as a step toward dialogue but questioned its preventive power, noting that Turetta already faced a life sentence. Through his foundation, he now campaigns in schools to promote emotional education and challenge stereotypes of male superiority.

Italy joins Cyprus, Malta, and Croatia as the only EU nations with explicit femicide definitions in their criminal codes. Police data show 116 women were killed last year, 106 in gender-motivated attacks, with 62 murdered by partners or ex-partners.

Supporters argue the law will foster national conversation on entrenched violence, while critics, including law professor Valeria Torre, warn its wording may be vague and difficult to prove in court. They argue that broader investments in economic equality, prevention, and education are equally critical.

Broader reforms remain stalled. Far-right lawmakers have blocked mandatory early sex education, despite activists’ calls for tools to dismantle the “pyramid” of violence—from catcalling to murder. Italy ranks 85th on the Global Gender Gap Index, with just over half of women employed, and exhibits like Rome’s Museum of the Patriarchy highlight persistent inequalities.

As the law takes effect, advocates such as Action Aid Italy stress that criminal penalties alone cannot end femicide without tackling cultural and economic barriers to true equality.