Is It Better To Have the Surname of the Father, the Mother, or Both?
It is a historic day in Italy. The rule has changed, following a sentence by the Constitutional Court
In your opinion, is it better to have the surname of the father, the mother, or both? The issue has reached an important turning point in Italy. Here this is a historic day, thanks to a sentence by the Constitutional Court. The rules here had lagged a bit, in fact.
Now the ancient Italian rule changes and the double surname arrives. Until now, children almost received their father’s surname. But now it won’t be like that anymore.
The law that attributed the paternal surname is “discriminatory and damaging to the identity of the child”. This is the verdict of the judges.
THE AUTOMATISM
So the Consulta stopped this automatism. The son or daughter now takes the surname of both parents. Otherwise, the father and mother can decide, by mutual agreement, to attribute only one surname.
Both parents must be able to share the choice on his surname. The guidelines are the principle of equality and the interest of the child. The Constitutional Court ruling underlines these points.
THE MEDIA
The newspaper La Repubblica also wrote on its website: “Family hierarchies are disappearing”. So the sentence on the double surname closes an era.
“The Court declared the end of the patriarchal conception of the family. The practical management will be very complicated. The situation requires an intervention by the legislator”. Il Corriere della Sera wrote it.
THE QUESTION
In the meantime, the surname forms a fundamental element of personal identity. The judges stressed it.
And thus, all the more reason, I ask myself. Do you agree with this verdict? How does it work in your country? What is the best solution from your point of view?
