The “first expectation” of young women should be to have children, a senator from Italy’s ruling far-right party said today, causing outrage to the opposition parties.

The Prime Minister’s Brothers of Italy party Georgia Meloni has made it a priority to reverse the country’s declining birth rate and promote the traditional family by limiting same-sex parenting.

“My mother always told me … you must always remember that you have the opportunity to do whatever you want, but you must never forget that your first ambition should be to be a mother,” said Senator Lavinia Menouni.

Menuni, who appeared alongside a Catholic archbishop on a program on La7 television, said institutions in Italy and the Vatican should encourage young people to marry early and start families. “There is a need, let’s say a mission, because I think it’s a beautiful thing (for women) to give birth to children who will be the future citizens, the future Italians,” said the 47-year-old, who herself has three children.

Senator Rafaela Paita from the centrist Italia Viva party argued that such comments show “a shameful regression”. “Her words echo ideas from a dark past, thankfully outgrown,” he said.

Five Star MP Chiara Appendino wrote in a post on Platform X that Italy’s Adelphi suffer from a “nostalgia of the Middle Ages” and stressed that young women must be taught “the freedom to dream and the means to succeed only what they wish”.

Last week, Menuni sparked criticism for tabling a bill that would make Christmas events compulsory in schools and universities. The bill tabled in the Italian Parliament would prevent the renaming of Christmas celebrations to “winter holidays” and would also make it mandatory to set up a nativity scene. The bill provides for penalties for school principals if they do not follow the rules.