Susanna Riva The Council of Ministers , meeting at Palazzo Chigi, resolved to challenge the Veneto regional law regulating "procedures for regional healthcare assistance for physician-assisted suicide." The law, approved by the Veneto Regional Council on September 2nd and published on the 8th, represents the first measure by a center-right administration on this sensitive issue.
The government's vote and the positions of those responsible
During the session, Deputy Prime Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini did not participate in either the discussion or the vote. However, Minister for Regional Affairs Roberto Calderoli expressed opposition to the intervention, arguing that the provision constitutes a regulatory law , limited to providing guidelines already established by national law.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani , on behalf of the Forza Italia delegation , asked that the issue be addressed by Parliament, reiterating that such a sensitive issue must be regulated by a national law to avoid "regulatory fragmentation between the regions".
The reactions of the Venetian protagonists
The president of the Veneto Region , Alberto Stefani , defended his own legislation, declaring that he was certain that the Constitutional Court would validate it, since he believed that the law respected the criteria required by the consultation.
Luca Zaia , former governor and current president of the Regional Council, also reiterated his support, saying he voted for and supported the proposal with conviction.
Verona: The Empty Wheelchair Protest
November 7, a date marked in red on the calendars of Palazzo Chigi and Palazzo Balbi in Venice, marks the 60-day deadline for challenging the Veneto law. While waiting to see whether the Meloni government will follow the same path as the regions of Tuscany, Sardinia, and Emilia-Romagna, several associations have organized a symbolic demonstration in Piazza Bra in Verona.
Dozens of empty wheelchairs lined the square, each bearing a sign reading " Always cure, never kill ." The gesture is intended to highlight the consequences of a potential implementation of the law, citing outcomes observed in countries such as Canada, Belgium, and the Netherlands, where assisted suicide has resulted in thousands of deaths, including among the elderly.
Statements from the protest's promoters
Maria Rachele Ruiu, representing Pro Vita e Famiglia , emphasized that Veneto voters did not elect a majority "that kills the sick." She called the law "not only inhumane but also unconstitutional," noting that the Constitutional Court has already censured regional laws that go beyond simply organizing a healthcare system to define who can request aid in dying.
The president of Family Day , Massimo Gandolfini , extended the reasoning to the national context, asking Parliament not to approve any law on the matter and inviting the government to continue with the already undertaken strategy of challenging the regulations of Tuscany, Sardinia and Emilia-Romagna, so that "Veneto is not an exception".
The legal framework and previous appeals
The decision to challenge the Veneto law is part of a broader national debate on end-of-life care . Following the partial censure rulings against the Tuscan and Sardinian laws, and the pending Constitutional Court decision on their application in Emilia-Romagna, the government has already demonstrated its intention to ensure uniform regulation at the national level.
We wait to see whether the legal challenge will set a new precedent, especially for a center-right region, and to observe any developments in the symbolic protest in Verona, which has already attracted media and public attention.