By Cosmin Dzsurdzsa, True North Wire
This year’s G7 declaration will not reference the guarantee of “safe and legal abortion” thanks to the intervention of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Despite pressure from France, the United States and Canada, the Italian government wouldn’t budge on the issue during negotiations over the declaration’s final wording.
Instead, Meloni opted for the declaration to only reference “reproductive rights.”
The G7 meeting this year is being hosted in Apulia, Italy and was the first summit to host a pontiff. Pope Francis held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, among other world leaders, and chaired a session on the dangers of artificial intelligence.
True North contacted the Prime Minister’s Office for comment on the G7 declaration but did not receive a response.
Tensions flared between Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron over the issue, leading to the two leaders trading barbs on the sidelines of the international meeting.