There are now just a few days left until the Italian general election on 25 September 2022. As the electoral campaign continues and polls attempt to offer a picture of how things will go at the ballot box, the main parties in the running have published their respective electoral programmes. These are lengthy documents covering dozens of topics ranging from taxation to the environment, from work to sport, taking in pensions, industry and much more. We have gathered all the parties' proposals (and objections) on the broad theme of rights, so that readers can get an idea of what to expect on immigration and citizenship, Lgbtiq+ rights, end of life, cannabis, women's rights and the right to housing depending on who takes the reins of Italy after the election at the end of the month. Here instead you will find the analysis on the environment, energy and climate.

• The Partito democratico's programme on rights
• The Europa Verde/Sinistra italiana programme on rights
• The +Europa programme on rights
• The Azione/Italia viva programme on rights
• The Movimento 5 stelle programme on rights
• The Fratelli d'Italia programme on rights
• The Lega programme on rights
• The Forza Italia programme on rights

The Partito democratico's programme on rights

The full programme is available here.

Immigration and citizenship

Among the main points put forward for the election is the abolition of the Bossi-Fini law, the 2002 provision that regulates migration and employment policies for foreign nationals in a very rigid manner, considered by many to be the reason for the widespread irregularity in the country. The Partito democratico therefore promises the introduction of a new immigration law that facilitates the legal entry of migrants for work purposes, improving the reception systems spread across the territory and expanding humanitarian corridors in cooperation with foreign countries and third-sector organisations. The electoral programme also states that "we have been, are, and will always be against policies of pushbacks, the apparent closure of our ports or, indeed, ill-defined naval blockades" and that anyone in danger at sea must be rescued and saved without distinction.

On citizenship, the PD is pushing for the approval of ius scholae, whereby anyone who completes at least five years of schooling in Italy may apply for Italian citizenship.

Lgbtqi+

The programme states that "the battles of the LGBTQI+ community are simply calls for equality: they are the voice of millions of Italian women and men who demand freedom and self-determination, who want equal dignity." There are two main proposals put forward in this area: the immediate approval of a law against homo-lesbo-bi-transphobia — the Ddl Zan that was defeated in the Senate last autumn — and the approval of same-sex marriage, though with no mention of adoption for same-sex couples.

Partito Democratico 🇮🇹 🇪🇺 @pdnetwork

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I diritti non sono solo al centro del nostro programma, sono al centro del nostro impegno per il Paese. Daremo voce all'Italia democratica e progressista.

Il 25 settembre con il Partito Democratico #vinconoleidee, vince l'Italia.

@ZanAlessandro

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End of life and cannabis

The PD promises those who choose to vote for it at the 25 September election the approval of an end-of-life law, "to defend dignity and self-determination until the very end, in line with the indications of the Constitutional Court", which with its 2019 ruling did indeed call for legislation on the matter. With regard to cannabis, the Partito democratico stresses that "the time has come to legalise home cultivation for personal use", while at the same time strengthening prevention and information initiatives in schools. It also calls for medical cannabis, legal in Italy since 2007, to be effectively guaranteed to patients who need it.

Women

The programme dedicates considerable space to overcoming gender disparities in the workplace. "To overcome the historic gender gaps that characterise our country, we want to make the concept of equality the driving force behind public policies that support women, protect their rights and dismantle stereotypes," it reads — a promise that in concrete terms is to be realised through an extraordinary plan for female employment, a new co-parenting law introducing full equality in maternity and paternity leave, and a new fully equal parental leave. The PD then promises new measures to combat gender-based violence and broader protection of women's health, which also passes through "the full recognition of women's sexual and reproductive rights, guaranteeing the application of law 194/1978 (the abortion law) in all its parts across the entire national territory and strengthening the network of family planning clinics."

Right to housing

The PD promises "a new season of housing policies to guarantee the right to a home", to be achieved through the construction of 500,000 public housing units over the next 10 years.

The Europa Verde/Sinistra italiana programme on rights

The full programme is available here.

Immigration and citizenship

The programme for the 25 September election calls for the overcoming of the Bossi-Fini law and a solidarity-based reform of asylum law both in Europe and in Italy, to be achieved through non-refoulement policies, the ending of the "shameful agreements with Libya", support for those engaged in reception and rescue, and the simplification of bureaucratic procedures for asylum seekers. Sinistra italiana and Europa Verde are also the only parties, ahead of the vote, to address climate and environmental refugees, to whom they wish to extend the right to asylum. With regard to Cpr — the repatriation centres described by several investigations and reports as "state detention camps" — their closure is promised.

On citizenship, a new law is proposed, drawing on both ius soli and ius scholae.

Lgbtqi+

The first proposal is a law against homo-lesbo-bi-transphobia, that is, taking up the contents of the Ddl Zan once more. The programme also envisages the legalisation of equal marriage, access to adoption for single people and same-sex couples, access to medically assisted reproduction for women and female couples, and the recognition of equal rights for children with same-sex parents. In line with what is happening in several European countries, such as France, Sinistra italiana and Europa Verde are calling for a law to put an end to conversion treatments — those conversion therapies aimed at changing a person's sexual orientation and gender identity.

End of life and cannabis

Here the proposal is for a law on end of life "that listens to the desperate requests of so many people to be able to end their own lives with dignity", while on cannabis the hope is for a law that legally regulates production, distribution and sale for adults, that permits cultivation for personal use and encourages the creation of non-profit spaces for collective sharing, namely Cannabis Social Clubs on the Spanish model.

Women

The commitment ahead of the election is for an extraordinary plan for female employment and effective policies and measures for women-led businesses. This involves action against economic inequality, combating sexual harassment and violence in the workplace, greater inclusion of women in decision-making roles, social infrastructure in the workplace for new mothers, a mandatory paid maternity leave of 100% for at least two months before birth and for the six months following, as well as a paternity leave that is not an alternative to maternity leave. Alongside this are various provisions against gender-based violence, in particular domestic violence.

ElisabettaPiccolotti @BettaPiccolotti

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Non solo #Marche. L’interruzione di gravidanza non è garantita in molte strutture in #Umbria. La destra ostacola la libertà delle #donne anche in assenza di mutamenti legislativi. Noi mobilitate da sempre, nelle urne, nelle aule e nelle piazze. #Ferragni #AlleanzaVerdiSinistra

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On abortion, the programme announces "the full implementation of Law 194, including through regulations that allow only non-objecting nursing and medical staff to take part in public recruitment competitions", as well as the free provision of contraception, abortion and consultancy-centre examinations.

Right to housing

Ahead of the election, a new major public residential housing plan is envisaged, to be pursued also through state acquisition of properties held as collateral against non-performing loans in the banking system and through the restriction of the short-term rental phenomenon, one of the main causes of the housing emergency.

+Europa's programme on rights

The full programme is available here.

Immigration and citizenship

The election document envisages the introduction of legal access channels for foreign nationals from countries outside the European Union, the reintroduction of the sponsor system and the regularisation of foreign workers already present in Italy. The abolition of the Bossi-Fini Law and of the Memorandum of Understanding on migration signed between the Italian and Libyan governments is also put forward.

On citizenship, the application of the principle of ius scholae is envisaged.

Lgbtqi+

+Europa, in its programme for the 25 September election, wants the introduction of equal marriage, the extension of adoption to couples, married or otherwise, including same-sex couples and the recognition at birth of a partner's children for same-sex couples, including unmarried ones, and the extension of such recognition to minors already born, in Italy or abroad. A framework law is also envisaged to regulate the so-called "alias career" at national level in universities and public administrations, and to combat hate crimes and hate speech based on sexual orientation and gender identity through the implementation of an Lgbt+ national strategy.

End of life and cannabis

The election programme underlines the urgency of a law on end of life, as well as the legalisation and regulation of cannabis with the definitive approval of the Magi bill (home cultivation for personal use of four plants).

Più Europa ✓ @Piu_Europa

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Il proibizionismo è ipocrisia, è un costo sociale ed economico, è un regalo alle mafie. E soprattutto, non funziona.
#cannabislegale 7 miliardi di euro per lo Stato, posti di lavoro e affari delle mafie in fumo.
Se vuoi cannabis legale, vota #PiuEuropa

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Women

At the employment level, the party proposes monitoring initiatives by the relevant ministry and supervisory bodies to guarantee gender parity on boards of directors, in institutional bodies and in companies. An initial mandatory parental leave for both parents at 100% in the early stages is envisaged. In terms of education, there is mention of encouraging female students to enrol and participate in STEM courses. Regarding abortion, the call is for genuine guaranteed access to voluntary termination of pregnancy, w