League Senator Andrea Ostellari, the
president of the Upper House's justice committee, said Monday
that Matteo Salvini's party has drafted an alternative to a bill
against homophobia that it has been trying to block.
The League has previously said a drive by some parties to move
forward with the so-called Zan bill could cause trouble for
Premier Matteo Draghi's government.
The bill, which features measures to prevent and combat
discrimination and violence based on motives linked to a
person's sex, sexual orientation or gender identity., is being
backed by several other parties supporting the executive,
including the centre-left Democratic Party and the 5-Star
Movement (M5S).
The League has described the bill as "divisive and ideological"
arguing it could hamper freedom of expression.
The bill's backers say this is not true.
"A League text that aims to protect all the most vulnerable
people, broadening the scope of the Zan bill, is ready,"
Ostellari told ANSA.
"It foresees an aggravating fact that increases the punishment
for crimes committed against weak people, taking into account
factors from disability up to sexual orientation.
"It makes an important technical contribution to the parts of
the Zan bill that have been criticised, not just by the league
but also by a part of the left and feminist associations".
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