Italy’s parliament made history in November 2025 with a unanimous vote to recognise femicide as a crime punishable by life imprisonment, a move widely seen as a step towards greater recognition of sex- and gender-based crimes.
However, Luxembourg’s Justice Minister Elisabeth Margue has confirmed, in a response to a parliamentary question, that a similar step will not be taken in Luxembourg.
The question, submitted by MPs Diane Adehm and Nathalie Morgenthaler, asked whether Luxembourg plans to introduce similar legislation into its Criminal Code.
While the ministers reaffirmed that combating domestic violence remains a government priority, they confirmed that there are currently no plans to officially recognise femicide as a standalone criminal offence.
Justice Minister Margue explained that in Luxembourg, crimes motivated by sex or gender are already subject to aggravated penalties under Article 80 of the Criminal Code, which can result in the regular sentence being doubled when gender-based motives are established.
She also noted that while femicide in Italy is now punishable by life imprisonment, where homicide otherwise carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, Luxembourg already provides for life imprisonment in homicide cases more generally.
Margue added that defining femicide as a separate offence could conflict with the constitutional principle that all citizens are equal before the law, potentially undermining the neutrality of criminal law.
To support this position, she pointed to Belgium, where femicide is defined in national legislation without being incorporated into the Criminal Code, allowing for the development of prevention mechanisms targeting gender-based violence and homicide without creating a standalone criminal offence.
