G7 Rift Over Abortion Prompts Pro-Life Praise for Italy’s Meloni
Rob Bluey /
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hosted the world’s most powerful leaders in Italy last week, and reportedly made a few foes over a flap involving the removal of abortion language from the G7’s final declaration of priorities.
But here in the United States, she’s winning praise from pro-life Americans, including former Vice President Mike Pence, founder of Advancing American Freedom.
“When radical pro-abortion Biden administration officials demanded that the words ‘abortion’ and ‘reproductive rights’ be included in the G7’s official statement, you stood strong for life. By doing so, you stood not just for pro-life Italians, but for every pro-life citizen of the G7 countries,” Pence wrote in a letter to Meloni.
Pence’s June 19 letter, shared exclusively with The Daily Signal, expresses his “gratitude and admiration for your uncompromising stand for life.” (See the full letter below.)
The reported G7 dispute, which Meloni has downplayed, stemmed from language in last year’s G7 declaration from Hiroshima, Japan:
We reaffirm our full commitment to achieving comprehensive [sexual and reproductive health and rights] for all, including by addressing access to safe and legal abortion and post-abortion care.
This year’s G7 declaration was altered to remove any reference to abortion:
We reiterate our commitments in the Hiroshima leaders’ communique to universal access to adequate, affordable, and quality health services for women, including comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.
The conservative and Catholic Meloni reportedly received pushback from President Joe Biden for removing the abortion language, according to the BBC. Biden, also a Catholic, has made abortion a centerpiece of his reelection campaign despite his church’s strong opposition.
Faced with questions about the controversy, Meloni downplayed her differences with the other world leaders.
“It usually happens that in the final documents of these sessions, things that are already taken for granted are not repeated,” she explained. “I sincerely believe that the controversy [around abortion] was totally contrived, and in fact, it is a controversy that did not exist in the summit, that did not exist in our discussions, precisely because there was nothing to argue about.”
France and Canada were advocating for the abortion language, The Guardian reported.
French President Emmanuel Macron, whose party faces a critical election in the coming weeks, took a swipe at Italy when asked about the G7 declaration.
“You don’t have the same sensibilities in your country,” Macron said. “France has a vision of equality between women and men, but it’s not a vision shared by all the political spectrum.”
Italy legalized abortion in 1978. Meloni’s mother almost aborted her, but made a last-minute decision to spare her life, the prime minister wrote in her autobiography.
Pence acknowledged Meloni’s personal experience in his letter.
“I was deeply moved when I read your own pro-life story and learned that your mother seriously considered abortion before choosing life,” he wrote. “I know I speak for millions of pro-life Americans when I express my thanks for your strong pro-life stance and willingness to defend pro-life principles on the world stage.”
During his time as a congressman, governor, and vice president, Pence championed the issue of life. Since leaving office, he’s remained a strong advocate for the pro-life cause, encouraging Republican politicians to stand firm and contrast their views with the position of Democrats. His letter takes a swipe at those “supposedly conservative politicians” who fail to do so.
Read the full letter below.