Recognising prostitution as a legal profession would be "an act of civility", Italy's far-right interior minister and deputy premier Matteo Salvini said on Wednesday.
"We've gathered thousands of signatures for a referendum," Salvini told Italian state broadcaster Rai's 'I Lunatici' programme.
"I believe that to legally recognise what is a profession, removing it from the grip of the mafia and the realm of exploitation, would be an act of civility," he said.
Society is mistaken to judge prostitutes for their occupation, Salvini said.
"If someone freely choses to be a sex worker, who am I to judge?"
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