Politician, activist and prominent figure of the Lgbt+ community. And now also vice-president of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Rights. Alessandro Zan, elected in the recent European elections among the ranks of the Democratic Party for a seat in Strasbourg, obtains a prestigious position in his first mandate.
Born in Padua in 1973, Zan has carved out a prominent role for himself in Italian politics for his battles against discrimination and for the recognition of equal rights for all couples, including homosexual ones. His is the bill, known as the “Ddl Zan” against discrimination and hatred, which however remained a dead letter, after the strenuous opposition from the right and the “betrayals” committed within the PD and the 5 Star Movement.
The political path and the Zan bill
Alessandro Zan took his first steps in politics in his hometown of Padua, where he served as councilor for the environment, labor, and international cooperation in the early 2000s. He made his leap to the national stage in 2013, when he ran for office on the Left Ecology Freedom (Sel) list. Elected to the Chamber of Deputies, he left Sel the following year, later joining the Democratic Party. He was re-elected as a deputy for the Democratic Party in 2018, after being a candidate as the top candidate.
“Salvini brings bad luck”, argument on TV between Zan, Ravetto and Manconi
Openly gay, the new MEP promoted and obtained the first Italian registry of de facto couples, also open to homosexual couples. In 2020, he was the rapporteur of a controversial bill aimed at extending the Mancino Law on hate crimes to homophobia, transphobia, misogyny and ableism (discrimination against disabled people). Despite approval at first reading by the Chamber of Deputies, the “Ddl Zan” ran aground in the Senate in 2021 due to the “gut” method used by Fratelli d’Italia and Lega, which thanks to the secret ballot brought out dissent even within the parties that were supposed to support the rules.
The election as MEP
Zan has led a fierce electoral campaign in Northern Italy, often alongside Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein and referring to Enrico Berlinguer on social media. The most recent media controversy took place in the television studios of La 7, when he rejected the solidarity of Lega MP Laura Ravetto regarding the case of La Stampa journalist Andrea Joly, attacked and beaten by a group of neo-fascists in Turin. “You have not approved the law against hate crimes. We don’t care about your solidarity,” the MEP said during the program “L’aria che tira”.
The Libe Commission
With his election as vice-president, Zan will complete the composition of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (Libe) of the European Parliament. The new president, elected by acclamation, is the Spaniard Javier Zarzalejos (of the European People’s Party). The other positions of vice-president have been attributed to the Estonian Marina Kaljurand (Socialists and Democrats – S&D), the Swedish Charlie Weimers (Reformists and Conservatives – Ecr) and the Spanish Estrella Galán (The Left). “Honoured to have been elected vice-president of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament. Ensuring equal rights, freedoms, dignity, security for every person within the EU is one of the great challenges to build a truly democratic and social Europe. With courage and determination”, wrote Zan on the social network X, immediately after obtaining the post of vice-president.
