Italy lifts ban on singles adopting abroad

In a decision described as long overdue, Italy’s Constitutional Court has finally lifted the ban preventing single people from adopting children from abroad.

The ruling, announced on Friday, marks the end of a 40-year-old restriction that limited international adoptions to married couples only.

Singles in Italy can now adopt foreign minors as 40-year ban scrapped

The court argued that blocking singles from adopting was not just outdated but potentially harmful to the very children the system is supposed to protect. Judges ruled that the exclusion risked undermining a child’s right to grow up in a “stable and harmonious family environment.”

The move also comes as Italy faces a noticeable drop in international adoptions. Figures from Italy’s international adoption commission show a steady decline, with numbers down by 5.6 per cent in the first half of 2024 compared to the same time last year, and by 14.3 per cent since 2022.

Opposition celebrates historic win despite government pushback

While Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government opposed the change in court, Italy’s centre-left welcomed the decision as a breakthrough. Alessandro Zan, a Democratic Party lawmaker, called it a ‘historic turning point’ that places the rights of minors and personal freedoms centre stage.

“For too long, singles – and especially members of the LGBTQ+ community – have been shut out of the adoption process,” Zan said. “Now Parliament must act and remove the last ideological barriers.”

The ruling comes into force immediately, meaning single Italians can now start adoption proceedings abroad without having to be married.

Italy’s family rights debate reignited after court ruling

The decision lands at a time when debates over family and parenting rights are heating up across Italy. Just months ago, Meloni’s government pushed through controversial legislation making it a crime for Italians to seek surrogacy abroad – a law critics described as a direct blow to same-sex couples.

For many campaigners, however, this latest court ruling brings hope that Italy might be inching towards more modern, inclusive family policies. For now, it’s a step forward for those hoping to give children a home – regardless of their marital status.

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