For the second consecutive year, the Ministry of Education omitted any reference to the persecution of LGBTI people during the Holocaust in its official circular for Holocaust Remembrance Day.

In September, Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, commented on Church teaching regarding homosexuality during a ceremony in Belmonte del Sannio, Molise, where he was being granted honorary citizenship. Speaking to reporters, Müller stated that “homosexual acts are a mortal sin” and that the Church “must reject this policy,” referring to individuals entering the Holy Door “to propagandise for themselves and not to receive penance through a change of life.” He also said that, “according to the Book of Genesis, God blessed marriage between a man and a woman; sin cannot be blessed.” Müller argued that it was necessary to “correct the misunderstanding that the Church had almost accepted this behavior as something to be blessed and upon which to invoke God’s blessing.”

In 2025, homophobic and transphobic violence continued to be reported across Italy, including domestic abuse, public assaults and organised entrapment schemes targeting gay men via dating applications.

In January, the father of a 15-year-old boy in Naples was arrested after threatening to kill him. This followed years of physicial and psychological abuse.

In March, the Civil Court of Asti recognised, for the first time in Italy, the existence of physical and psychological harm resulting from homophobic mistreatment in a case involving prolonged abuse by a father against his son.

Several cases involved organised entrapment through dating applications. In Padova, members of a gang that lured gay men via Grindr to rob and assault them received five-year sentences in Padova; a third suspect was arrested in September. In July, a man in Bergamo was sentenced to five years and ten months for robbery and extortion targeting gay men through Grindr, although no discriminatory aggravating circumstance was applied.

Multiple public assaults were recorded during the year. In June, two people were attacked after leaving Padova Pride Village; in Rome’s Pigneto district, two men were assaulted with a baseball bat after being seen kissing; and in Vicenza, a trans man and a friend were attacked following a Pride event. In Bologna, two men in a same-sex relationship were found dead with knife wounds; a suspect was arrested, but no judicial outcome had been reported by the end of 2025.

Other attacks were reported in Catania, Trento, Rome, Ventimiglia, Parma, Milan and Treviso, including cases involving groups of perpetrators, minors among attackers, and serious injuries such as facial fractures and stab wounds. In several cases, investigations were ongoing at year’s end.

In December, the Court of Appeal in Cuneo upheld a prison sentence in a homophobic assault case and confirmed the application of the discriminatory aggravating circumstance.

Civil society actors noted persistent under-reporting of incidents, particularly in Naples and suburban areas, citing fear of family pressure, blackmail and lack of autonomy among young victims.

In December, an alleged sexual assault of an 11-year-old boy in Palermo, investigated as bullying, reignited debate over the absence of comprehensive sexuality and affective education in schools amid continued political efforts to restrict such programmes.

In October, the Culture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies approved an amendment further restricting access to sexuality and relationships education in schools. The amendment, introduced by League MP Giorgia Latini, expanded a government proposal by Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara, which already required written parental consent for school activities related to sexuality in secondary education. While the initial proposal banned such education in kindergarten and primary schools and imposed consent requirements in upper secondary schools, the amendment sought to extend these restrictions to lower secondary schools as well, citing concerns about so-called “gender ideology” and emphasising parental control.

In December, the Chamber adopted the bill with 151 votes in favour, 113 against, and one abstention. The final text did not include a ban on sexuality and relationships education in lower secondary schools, but it confirmed the obligation for schools to obtain written parental consent before organising such activities in both lower and upper secondary education. Schools are also required to inform families in advance about the content of programmes, teaching materials, and the qualifications of any external educators involved. The bill was subsequently transmitted to the Senate for further consideration.

In July, Italy’s Constitutional Court ruled that a non-biological mother in a same-sex couple is entitled to mandatory parental leave equivalent to paternity leave. The Court found that the exclusion of intended parents in same-sex female couples from such leave under existing legislation was unconstitutional, stressing that children’s rights to care from both parents and parental responsibilities are not dependent on parents’ sexual orientation. The case was referred by the Brescia Court of Appeal following a discrimination claim supported by Rete Lenford against the Italian Social Security Administration, which had refused to grant mandatory leave to a non-biological mother in a same-sex couple.

In November, the Department of Penitentiary Administration (DAP) issued a circular stating that Law 104/1992 on benefits (permitting leave to care for disabled family members) does not apply to civil union partners’ relatives, arguing that civil unions do not create legal “affinity” relationships. This contradicted a 2022 INPS circular that extended these benefits to civilly united couples. The decision affected prison workers nationwide.

In March, the Ministry of Education and Merit issued a new circular banning the use of schwa (ə), a symbol used to express gender-neutral forms, and the asterisk in all official communications. The measure is framed as part of the government’s wider campaign against what it calls gender theory and follows earlier steps such as recent statements by Minister Giuseppe Valditara from the Brothers of Italy Party, who openly admitted the government’s intent to escalate its opposition to inclusive language and gender-related discourse in schools and institutions.

In April, Italy did not sign a condemnation statement by 23 European embassies against Hungary’s ban on Pride events. In May, Italy again did not sign a declaration by 20 EU countries condemning Hungary’s Pride ban and anti-LGBTI laws.

In July, Italy’s women’s national football team captain, Elena Linari, became the first Italian national team player to wear a rainbow armband during an international match, doing so during the game against Spain on 11 July. The gesture was widely interpreted as a public show of support for LGBTI equality and inclusion in sport.

In March, the Constitutional Court ruled that single people, including LGBTI people, are eligible to adopt foreign minors through international adoption procedures, overturning a 40-year restriction that had limited such adoptions to married couples.

In April, the Italian Court of Cassation ruled in favour of changing the wording on national identity cards, replacing the distinction of “father” and “mother” with the term “parents.” With this ruling, which followed an appeal brought by civil rights associations, the Court emphasised the need for administrative and bureaucratic language to keep pace with social and legal developments. The reform will apply to all newly issued identity documents across Italy.

In May, the Constitutional Court declared the constitutional illegitimacy of Article 8 of Law 40/2004 insofar as it excludes recognition of children born in Italy through assisted reproductive technologies (ART) abroad to two women. The Court ruled that when both women have given prior informed consent to the procedure, the child must be legally recognised as the child of both, with full parental responsibility. Nonetheless, the ruling still did not provide similar legal protections for single women resorting to ART.

In September, the Court of Cassation issued a ruling confirming that partners in a civil union are eligible for the dissolution allowance provided under the 2016 law on civil unions. In Italian law, civil unions do not include a separation phase, and therefore do not provide for a maintenance allowance. Dissolution occurs through an administrative process lasting approximately three to four months, after which the economically weaker partner may request the dissolution allowance. Since 2018, divorce allowances have been granted either to individuals who lack adequate means of subsistence or to those who, despite being economically self-sufficient, have made personal or professional sacrifices in the interest of the family that result in a significantly unequal economic position compared to the other partner. The Court of Cassation applied these criteria to civil unions, reiterating that the dissolution allowance is available under the same conditions as for heterosexual couples, as established by existing legislation since 2016.

In April, the Security Decree was approved, restricting the scope of dissent and redefining the relationship between citizens and authorities in a repressive manner. After parliamentary stalemate and reservations from the President of the Republic, the government forced the process through with a decree-law ensuring immediate entry into force. As already occurred in Hungary, the measure opens possibilities for the right to ban dissent demonstrations, including Pride events.

In April, Rome hosted Italy’s first Dyke March, an event mobilising the LGBTI community across Europe in resistance against discriminatory policies and for lesbian and LGBTI women’s visibility.

In September, approximately over 1,000 LGBTI Catholics from around the world gathered in St. Peter’s Square for a dedicated Jubilee pilgrimage.

The group, organised by “La Tenda di Gionata,” crossed the Holy Door, marking a historic moment of visibility for LGBTI believers within the Vatican.

In 2025, Italy dropped to 49th place out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, with journalists facing intimidation, lawsuits, spyware, threats, and gag laws, while RAI (the Italian national broadcaster) remained under political occupation.

A survey by the Youth and Sexuality Observatory found that nine out of ten young people support the introduction of comprehensive sexuality education in schools, and that 80% of parents are in favour of such education.

In December, Amnesty International published a report titled The Meloni Government at the Turning Point, highlighting a sharp regression in human rights and noting the lack of progress on legislation to combat hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

In February, Italy’s fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN in Geneva concluded with a record 19 recommendations on LGBTI rights, the highest number ever received. In July, Italy rejected 12 out of 19 of the recommendations. Italy accepted only seven recommendations on general principles such as combating discrimination, promoting equality, and fighting hate speech, which associations criticised as commitments with no concrete obligations.

In October, following the adoption of legislation criminalising surrogacy abroad, the Italian government engaged in advocacy against surrogacy at the United Nations. Through statements  by  Minister  for  Family,  Natality and Equal Opportunities Eugenia Roccella, the government promoted its opposition to surrogacy in international forums, framing the practice as incompatible with human rights.

In February, two proposals emerged to exclude trans women from women’s sports were submitted: one legislative proposal from Laura Ravetto of the Lega party, and another initiative from Fratelli d’Italia party at the European Union level.

In August, the government approved a draft law introducing tighter controls on gender-affirming healthcare for minors. The text, which must now be examined by parliament, sets out new regulatory requirements for the prescription of puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones to people under 18 diagnosed with gender dysphoria. According to the government, the measure aims to protect the health of minors and ensure effective data monitoring. Until the new protocols are adopted, each treatment would require authorisation from a national ethics committee composed of paediatric specialists. The proposal also provides for the creation of a national database within the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) to monitor the use of these medications and collect detailed medical information on minors receiving gender-affirming healthcare.

In December, during deliberations on the 2026 state budget, the parliamentary majority rejected an amendment proposed by the Democratic Party that would have established a dedicated fund for sexuality and relationships education in schools. This marked a shift from December 2024, when the government had approved a similar amendment tabled by +Europa party, allocating €500,000 for the same purpose.

The Winter Olympics Milano-Cortina 2026 will host Pride House Milano 2026, an LGBTI space promoted by Milano Pride to unite sports and human rights. The venue will operate from February 6-22 at MEET in Porta Venezia, Milan, featuring talks, cultural events, and live viewing of competitions.

In July, serious allegations of sexual violence and abuse  emerged  at  La  Dogaia  prison  in  Prato, prompting an investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office into reported cases of abuse, threats, and torture within the facility. Among the victims was a gay man imprisoned for the first time, who reportedly suffered prolonged physical and sexual violence at the hands of other inmates. Investigators described the situation in the prison as having become severely out of control.