Italy passes law that would eliminate life sentences for femicide

Italy has taken the fight against violence towards women to a new level — the parliament approved a law that classifies femicide as a separate type of crime. From now on, individuals who intentionally kill a woman because of her gender will be sentenced to life imprisonment.

The law was adopted on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and received broad public support. The document also toughens penalties for crimes such as stalking, domestic violence and the distribution of intimate images without consent.

This regulation was adopted after the high-profile death of Giulia Cecchettin and more than 100 cases of femicide recorded in 2023–2024. According to statistics, more than half of the victims were killed by their spouses or former partners.

The opposition, while supporting the law, emphasizes that the social roots of violence — gender inequality, lack of education and societal stereotypes — must also be addressed systematically.

According to the UN, around the world every 10 minutes a woman becomes a victim of violence committed by her close ones. With these measures, Italy demonstrates its intention to pursue a stricter policy against gender-based crimes.