The Left wants to change Italy's abortion law, not the government. Meloni hit back hard after a Spanish minister criticized an alleged Italian government measure that would allow 'pro-maternity' associations access to abortion clinics.
Abortion has been legal in Italy since 1978, but it is hard to get into practice with around half the country's doctors conscious objectors on moral or religious grounds, rising to almost 90% in some regions. The government has come under fire, also from Spain, for alleged plans to let pro-life advocates into abortion clinics. The Spanish Equality Minister Ana Recondo had said that "allowing organized pressure against women who want to interrupt a pregnancy means undermining a right recognized by the law. " The Italian government has denied the reports, calling them "fake news" and saying it only wants to guarantee "free choices" and not change the law, as Recondo has suggested. The debate is expected to continue in the coming days.