Italian Parliament debates amendment that could cut women's quota to 10%

On 14 July 2026, Deputy Carlo Bonetti condemned a proposed amendment that would lower the share of women in public offices to 10%, arguing it reverses decades of progress and violates women's right to equal participation. He warned that “the amendment will reduce women's presence to the level of twenty, thirty, forty years ago, a huge step back.”

At the same time, Senator Valeria Valente (PD) introduced bill 1752, demanding gender‑neutral language in legal and administrative texts. The draft cites the masculine wording in article 583‑bis of the penal code, which refers to “citizen” rather than “woman,” and calls for the use of “person” and other inclusive terms. Supporters say the measure would help eliminate linguistic bias that perpetuates gender stereotypes and improve women's visibility in government and professional roles.