Italy approvals bill recognizing 'natural' children

Italy is giving the same rights to children born outside of wedlock to those born to married parents. Tuesday, Italy's Chamber of Deputies voted 366 in favour to 31 against the bill that revolutionizes Italy's family law. "The final approval by the Chamber of the bill that equates natural children and legitimate children is a great test of civilization by our country, and clears an odious and anachronistic (form of) discrimination," said Mara Carfagna of the People of Liberty (PdL) party. "This is an important goal, since as of today there will be no more children of series A and series B," added Carfagna, a former minister for equal opportunities in the government of ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi. Italy's civil code currently makes a distinction between so-called "legitimate" children, born of married parents, and "natural" children whose parents are not married. The new law will remove this distinction, for example extending to all children the recognition of kinship with all family members and not just with the parents, which is currently the prerogative only of so-called "legitimate" children. This would mean that in the event of the parents' death, a child born out of wedlock could be entrusted to the grandparents rather than put up for adoption, as often happens now. The bill also has important implications for inheritances.