The number of Italians who approve of euthanasia is rising, according to the 40th annual report on the social situation of Italy by Censis (Centro Studi Investimenti Sociali), published at the beginning of December. Now 57 per cent of Italians feel that patients with incurable diseases, or close family members of those patients, have the right to ask for the interruption of medical treatment, as against 50 per cent in 2003. 43 per cent still remain insistent that all possible should be done to prolong the patients lives.

As to abortion, 59.8 per cent of Italian women maintain that they should have the right to abortion on demand.