Feminist Responses to Anti-Abortion Attacks in Italy and Slovenia

The journal Interdisciplinary Political Studies has published the article “Feminist Responses to Anti-Abortion Attacks in Italy and Slovenia. Building Democratic Innovations in Contexts of De-Democratization” co-authored by Anastasia Barone, Giada Bonu Rosenkranz, Leja Markelj, and Rok Smrdelj.

The authors analyze contemporary feminist movements’ repertoires of action in Italy and Slovenia in response to informal challenges to abortion rights amidst the rise of anti-gender mobilizations and processes of de-democratization. While abortion remains legally protected in both countries, informal barriers, forms of boycott and hijack of existing laws, such as misinformation, conscientious objection, and judgmental discourses undermine access to reproductive rights.

Drawing on in-depth interviews with feminist activists, the study highlights innovative grassroots practices. In Italy, democratic innovations include mapping institutions where doctors invoke conscientious objection, and accompanying women to healthcare facilities. In Slovenia, the emphasis lies on transnational solidarity, dissemination of reliable information, and the production of grassroots knowledge that addresses concrete barriers to accessing abortion. These actions not only address gaps left by institutional frameworks but also promote self-determination, solidarity, and care-based peer support.

The article expands the understanding of feminist engagement beyond formal political arenas and demonstrates how movements foster democratic resilience and safeguard reproductive autonomy in times when reproductive rights are increasingly under threat.

The study was conducted as part of the international research project FIERCE, funded by the Horizon Europe programme.