Italy Establishes Femicide as Specific Crime with Life Imprisonment Penalty: A Landmark Legal Reform

Nov 27, 2025 02:02 am CST

Italy's parliament has unanimously passed groundbreaking legislation classifying femicide as a specific criminal offense punishable by life imprisonment. The new law, championed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, creates a distinct category for gender-based killings and strengthens legal protections for women in a country where statistics show women account for over one-third of homicide victims, with men being the perpetrators in over 92% of these cases.