Deputies of the Italian government party The league introduced a bill that provides grants of up to 20,000 euros for couples under 35 years of age who marry, but only by the Catholic rite, given the growth of marriages civilly united.
The bill provides for a tax reduction of up to 20,000 euros “for documented expenses related to the celebration of a religious wedding, such as invitations, floral decoration, clothes for the bride and groom, catering, hairdressing and photography services.”
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The initiative was presented by five deputies from the League, who together with the Brothers of Italy, from the premier Georgia Meloni and Forza Italia of Silvio Berlusconi join the government coalition.
What does the help consist of for couples who marry only by Church
The aid provided for in the bill, which must be approved by Parliament to enter into force, consists of “a deduction of the gross import tax of 20 percent of the expenses (of a wedding) up to a total of 20,000 euros” .
According to the initiative, “State spending is quantified at 120 million for 2023, 90 million for 2024 and 85 million for 2025.”
According to the promoters of the bill, “the reasons that keep young couples away from the altar and that lead them to consider and exclusively civil marriage are many and of a diverse nature. In the first place, civil marriage is in itself a less onerous celebration than religious marriage.
Therefore, they say, “the choice would not be linked solely to the faith of the spouses, to mutual recognition and belonging to the Catholic Church, but to the problem of the expenses of a religious ceremony.”
To obtain help through the tax deduction system, some conditions are provided: “the bride and groom must be under 35 years of agethey must have declared no income greater than 23 thousand euros, they must have Italian citizenship for at least ten years and be married in Italy and by the Church.
Strong criticism from the opposition to the project that provides for aid to couples who marry in the Church in Italy
Opposition parties rejected this type of aid, calling it “unconstitutional”. “Beyond the probable unconstitutionality, it is confirmed that (Matteo) Salvini’s League is literally out of control,” the leader of Action wrote on Twitter. Carlos Calenda.
“A benefit reserved for Italian men and women for at least ten years, who have chosen religious marriage, obviously heterosexual. A pearl of constitutional illiteracy, better than the very fascist tax on celibacy“, said Benedetto Della VedovaSecretary of +Europe.
While, Enrico Borghiof the Democratic Party (PD), asserted: “To the Northern League, which wants to give 20,000 euros of public money only to those who marry in church, I would like to reveal a secret that a priest taught me: the state is secular”.
Italy: the ruling party promotes a law to help couples who marry only in church with 20,000 euros