Italy finally votes to recognise same-sex partnerships
Italy has become the latest country to back same-sex civil unions.
The issue has proved highly controversial in the country, with Catholic conservatives fiercely opposing measures to legally recognise gay partnerships.
Because of this hurdle Italy was the last remaining major Western democracy not to legally recognise committed same-sex partnerships.
But Italian MPs have now voted in favour of civil unions, with 369 for votes to 193 against.
The new civil unions bill will grant committed gay couples some of the same legal rights as heterosexual couples – such as entitlement to a deceased partner’s pension.
Posting on Facebook ahead of the vote, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wrote that it was ‘a day of celebration for so many, for anyone who feels that they are finally recognised’.
However, in order to gain mass appeal the bill was watered down before it reached the voting stage.
For example, a clause that would have allowed people to adopt their same-sex partner’s children was dropped.
Protesters gathered outside in Rome to support same-sex unions, but to also demonstrate against the dropping of the adoption clause.
Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2016/05/11/italy-finally-votes-to-recognise-same-sex-partnerships-5875237/#ixzz48SPOoP6W
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