The controversy over women’s right to self-determination shows no signs of dying down. An increasingly heated debate both at a national level (the European Union rejected Meloni’s proposal to use Pnrr funds to include anti-abortion associations in clinics) and at a regional level, where the opposition, in various capacities, are moving against the « nascent life fund” wanted bywelfare councilor Maurizio Marrone (candidate for the regional elections for Fratelli d’Italia) and by the Piedmontese governor Alberto Cirio (re-candidate for the presidency with the center-right coalition) to finance “one-off” payments for women who choose not to have an abortion and complete a initially unwanted pregnancy.
A measure which, among other things, provides that the person disbursing the bonus intended for “repentant future mothers” is not the institutions but the anti-abortion associations through criteria which, at least according to what was denounced a few days ago by the councilor (and candidate for the presidency of Piedmont for the M5s) Sarah Disabato, would be «at least opaque given that there appear to be no objective criteria regarding the granting of contributions, with little transparency and excessive decision-making power in the hands of the associations. In some cases, in fact, we have found thousands of euros disbursed for payments related to rent, bills, mortgages, condominium expenses and to settle debts.”
And the request also comes from the Democratic Party, addressed to councilor Marrone, to “clarify the resources of the ‘nascent life fund’ intended for pro-life associations”. According to the regional councilor (and re-nominated for the regional elections) Daniele Vallein fact, for the distribution of funds «a meritocratic criterion was not chosen, rewarding the quality of the projects, but rather it was opted for the assignment of an equal amount for all 16 projects presented by as many anti-abortion associations, i.e. 58,750 euros each out of a total of 940 thousand euros. The political choice of not displeasing anyone is evident – concludes Valle – what is most surprising, however, is that out of 16 projects in only one case was a higher contribution requested than the one subsequently assigned while, in all the others, the requests they didn’t go beyond 40 thousand euros.”
Therefore, if all the associations (except one) would have asked for 40 thousand euros «the Region, and in this case above all the president Alberto Cirio – are required to justify the additional 18,750 euros assigned to each anti-abortion association. And to clarify how they will be reported” concludes the PD councilor.
