Italy: proposal to automatically give newborns mother’s surname ignites row

Politician says idea would be ‘compensation for centuries-old injustice’ of children being assigned father’s nameAn Italian politician has proposed a law that would make it automatic for babies to be assigned their mother’s surname at birth, a step that would mark a rupture with a centuries-old tradition and has sparked a fiery debate.Dario Franceschini, a former culture minister and politician from the centre-left Democratic party, argues that such legislation would “right a historic wrong”. Continue reading...

Italy: proposal to automatically give newborns mother’s surname ignites row

Politician says idea would be ‘compensation for centuries-old injustice’ of children being assigned father’s name

An Italian politician has proposed a law that would make it automatic for babies to be assigned their mother’s surname at birth, a step that would mark a rupture with a centuries-old tradition and has sparked a fiery debate.

Dario Franceschini, a former culture minister and politician from the centre-left Democratic party, argues that such legislation would “right a historic wrong”. Continue reading...