Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addressed concerns over the omission of the word “abortion” in the G7 summit’s final statement, asserting that the issue had been exaggerated. The controversy arose because a commitment from the previous year by G7 nations to ensure access to “safe and legal abortion” was not included in the final statement of this year’s summit, held in Italy.

Reports suggested that there was a diplomatic dispute involving France and the United States, who advocated for the inclusion of abortion in the statement, and Italy, which opposed it. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed regret over the omission, noting that France had enshrined the right to abortion in its constitution, but acknowledged that Italy had different views on the matter.

 

In response, Meloni dismissed the controversy as “totally contrived” and claimed that there had been no significant disagreement at the summit. She explained that the omission was an effort to avoid redundancy in the document. “It usually happens that in the final documents of these sessions, things that are already taken for granted are not repeated,” Meloni stated during a press conference.

 

Last year’s G7 statement from Hiroshima included a clear commitment to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), specifically mentioning access to safe and legal abortion. This year’s statement reiterated commitments to universal access to quality health services for women, including comprehensive SRHR, but did not explicitly mention abortion.

Meloni emphasized that the reason for not repeating certain terms was to prevent the document from becoming too repetitive and that the core commitments had not changed.

 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has downplayed the controversy surrounding the omission of the word “abortion” in the final G7 summit statement, calling it “totally contrived.” She asserted that there was no real disagreement among the leaders at the summit. “It is a controversy that did not exist in the summit, that did not exist in our discussions, precisely because there was nothing to argue about,” Meloni stated.

 

The G7, comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US, convenes to discuss and address global issues. This year’s summit, hosted by Italy in the southern region of Puglia, also included representatives from Turkey, India, and Ukraine.

American officials informed the New York Times that US President Joe Biden had resisted after learning that Meloni did not want the terms “abortion” and “reproductive rights” in the statement. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed regret over the omission in comments to the Italian news agency Ansa, saying, “France has a vision of equality between women and men, but it’s not a vision shared by all the political spectrum.” He emphasized France’s commitment to enshrining abortion rights in its constitution.

 

Meloni criticized Macron’s comments, suggesting he was using the G7 platform to campaign for the upcoming French election, which she described as “profoundly wrong.

French President Emmanuel Macron called a snap election a week ago after his Renew party suffered a significant defeat to the far-right National Rally in the recent European elections. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has solidified her political position, increasing the vote share for her party in the 2022 general election.

 

The disagreement over the omission of the word “abortion” in the G7 summit’s final statement is just one aspect of the strained relations between France and Italy. Diplomatic sources told AFP news agency that Italy was frustrated by France’s announcement of a new $50 billion loan for Ukraine before it had been fully confirmed by all parties involved.

 

At a formal dinner on Thursday night, the tension between Macron and Meloni was palpable, with social media buzzing over a moment when Meloni appeared to give Macron a steely glare. This perceived tension was noted by many observers.

 

Francesco Lollobrigida, Meloni’s brother-in-law and the current agriculture minister, questioned the appropriateness of discussing abortion in the final G7 statement, especially with the Pope in attendance. He remarked, “If they [the G7 countries] chose not to include it, there must be a reason and a more than acceptable reason.”

 

Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI), has consistently opposed abortion. Prior to becoming prime minister in 2022, she pledged to offer alternatives to women considering abortion, stating her intention to provide support for those who might feel it is their only option. Although abortion is legally permitted in Italy, access is often limited due to the high number of medical personnel who are “conscientious objectors” and refuse to perform the procedure.