Full Breakdown
Italy Requires Parental Consent for Sex and Relationship Education
6/5/2026, 9:50:53 PM
Senate Approval of the Valditara Bill
On 5 June 2026 the Senate passed a law requiring written parental consent for any sex- or relationship-education activity in secondary schools. The vote was 78-38. The Valditara Bill, named after Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara, applies to middle schools (ages 11-14) and high schools (up to 19). Primary and nursery schools are excluded.
Background: Italy’s Sex-Education Landscape
Italy lacks a compulsory national sex-education programme; instruction is limited to biology and varies regionally. A 2025 Save the Children survey found only about 47 % of adolescents had received any school-based sex- or relationship-education.
Key Numbers
- Senate vote: 78-38.
- Ages covered: 11-19.
- Consent: written parental approval (or student consent if over 18).
- Schools must inform families at least seven days before any activity and disclose external experts.
- The law adds mandatory STI-prevention lessons for middle-school students and “education in respect, relationships and empathy” across all grades.
Official Statements & Responses
Valditara said the reform shields minors from what he called gender propaganda and restores parents’ constitutional role. Frassinetti described it as a step toward greater transparency between schools and families. A Pro Vita & Famiglia spokesperson noted parents can reject projects promoting gender fluidity, abortion, surrogate motherhood and an ideological vision of sexuality. Save the Children’s director of institutional relations, Giorgia D’Errico, warned the consent requirement could worsen educational and cultural gaps. Moige, led by Antonio Affinita, welcomed the law.
Opposition and Criticism
Opposition senators Simona Malpezzi (PD) and Barbara Floridia (M5S) argued the law undermines school autonomy and sets a “dangerous precedent.” Critics say it hampers efforts to combat rape, gender-based violence and femicide by limiting consent education, and could widen regional disparities in sexual-health knowledge. The measure has been called a “step backwards for the country” and a “manifesto of fear of freedom and diversity.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The law promises new STI-prevention lessons, yet the 2025 Save the Children survey shows less than half of adolescents have received any sex-education. No data exist on how many schools will adopt the curriculum, leaving uncertainty about the law’s practical impact.
Verbatim Quotes
- “from the confusion of gender propaganda” — Giuseppe Valditara, Education Minister
- “Senator Barbara Floridia of the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) said the measure "set a dangerous precedent" and amounted to a "step backwards for the country", calling it a "manifesto of fear of freedom and diversity".” — Barbara Floridia, Senator, Movimento 5 Stelle
- “Subordinating sex education to parental consent is like asking families' permission to teach Italian (literature) or history: an institutional absurdity that betrays the educational mandate of public schools,” — Angelo Bonelli, Co-leader, Greens and Left Alliance
Outlook
Implementation begins with schools informing families at least seven days before any sex-education initiative, as mandated by the law.
