The Padua court ruled that the government cannot simply remove names from birth certificates. With this ruling, lesbian mothers have achieved a significant victory in their struggle against the Italian government.

The case was brought forward by the city of Padua itself, after the government had instructed to remove 37 non-biological mothers from birth certificates. If removed, these non-biological mothers risked losing access to their children if the other mother passed away or if the couple separated.

Same-sex couples have few rights in Italy when it comes to raising a child, but due to various judicial decisions, some municipalities have found legal loopholes. Nonetheless, lesbian mothers received letters stating that their parenthood was being revoked, as instructed by the Meloni government.

A similar case was also filed in Milan, where lesbian parents initially won at the lower court. However, this decision was overturned on appeal. Therefore, it remains unclear whether the ruling in Padua will stand.

The strict measures against LGBT+ parents align with the agenda of the conservative government led by Giorgia Meloni. Her government believes that a family should consist of a father and a mother. Meloni has previously spoken out against "surrogate mother propaganda."