“A parent’s worth is not measured by their gender but by the love, care and attention they give their children. The decision of the Court of Venice to refer to the Constitutional Court the request from a civilly united male couple to adopt a child housed in an orphanage abroad is a necessary and highly significant step,” says Carolina Morace, Member of the European Parliament for the Five Star Movement, in a statement.

Morace adds that in a modern, fully democratic society Parliament should act quickly to remedy these inequalities and ensure that all couples, regardless of sexual orientation, can become parents. She expresses regret that in Italy it is still necessary to turn to the Constitutional Court to overcome prejudices and discrimination that other countries have long since moved past. “With a right-wing government in power, many families have no option but the judiciary to have their rights recognized,” she concludes.