Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
PERUGIA – The Umbria legislative assembly has passed by a majority a popular-initiative bill titled “Provisions for regional healthcare assistance for medically assisted voluntary death by self-administration of a lethal drug”. The result of the ballot in the chamber was met with long and emotional applause from those present. The President of the Sicilian Region, Stefania Proietti, chose not to take part in the vote.
With this decision, Umbria becomes the fifth region in Italy – after Tuscany, Sardinia, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto – to adopt the text promoted by the “Liberi Subito” campaign, setting clear times and procedures for access to assisted suicide within the regional health service for patients with irreversible conditions causing unbearable suffering.
Associazione Coscioni: “Land of Luca Coscioni and Laura Santi, a choice of civilisation”
Marco Cappato and Filomena Gallo, respectively treasurer and national secretary of the Associazione Luca Coscioni, welcomed the news:
“From Umbria finally comes a choice that respects the rights and freedoms of those who suffer,” Marco Cappato and Filomena Gallo said. “Umbria, the land of Luca Coscioni, is the fifth region to have approved the ‘Liberi Subito’ law, aimed at preventing the ordeal faced by people like Laura Santi, who had to wait years to have their rights recognised. We are grateful to the 4,801 Umbrian citizens who signed, to the councillors and to the courage of Laura Santi and Stefano Massoli. While Parliament continues to delay, the regions are establishing transparent rules to implement the ‘Cappato-Antoniani’ ruling by the Constitutional Court.”
Pro Vita’s reaction: “Ideological drift, the government must challenge it at once before the Constitutional Court”
The national association Pro Vita & Famiglia took the opposite view. Its national president, Antonio Brandi, strongly criticised the choice of the chamber and the centre-left regional executive:
“The law passed by Umbria is an inhumane law that strikes the most vulnerable and is unconstitutional,” Antonio Brandi replied. “The Constitutional Court has already ruled against the ‘right’ of regions to set access requirements by law. We demand that the government immediately challenge this law before the Constitutional Court. That is why we are warning everyone: we will take to the streets in piazza Bra in Verona on Saturday 31 October to protest against the similar law in Veneto.”
Brandi also contested a motion on the agenda for Umbria to join the RE.A.DY network for the protection of LGBTQIA+ rights: “A further ideological drift that risks opening the door to gender indoctrination in schools.”
