Grandparents' rights to see their grandchildren cannot trump children's interests if the latter say they don't want to see them, Italy's top court ruled.
The right of grandparents to frequent their underage grandchildren cannot prevail over the interest of the children themselves, who express their opposition to such a relationship and cannot be forced, by court orders, to frequent their "ascendants" on the grounds that they would not in any case be "prejudiced" by it, the supreme justices said.
The Cassation warned that there can be no "imposition 'manu militari' of an unwelcome and unwanted relationship", especially if they are children capable "of discernment" or who have reached the age of 12.
The appeal of the parents of two children forced to see their grandparents was thus upheld.
ANSA
