The Italian Senate has given its first green light to a controversial new hunting bill, passing it in the Upper House with 80 votes in favor and 56 against. The text, which reforms legislation dating back to 1992, now moves to the Chamber of Deputies amid fierce protests from opposition parties and environmental groups, who have dubbed the measure the "shooter law" (legge sparatutto). The new regulations significantly expand permissible hunting grounds to include state-owned lands, public woodlands, and beaches. It also extends the list of huntable species, meaning the wolf will lose its status as a strictly protected animal.
While the ruling majority defends the overhaul - framing hunting as a tool for biodiversity management and introducing hunters as "bioregulators" - the opposition deems the text unconstitutional, arguing it violates Article 9 of the Italian Constitution regarding environmental protection. Meanwhile, a cross-party coalition of lawmakers has launched an appeal to Prime Minister Meloni, invoking Pope Francis' teachings on the care for our "common home" and historical warnings from Pope Leo XIV on the profound social and moral significance of the issue.