Italy approves gay marriage draft law
Pastor Dale Morgan
*Italy approves gay marriage draft law*
From correspondents in Rome
February 09, 2007 06:10am
Article from: Agence France-Presse
ITALY'S centre-left government today adopted a draft bill that would
grant legal marriage status to gay couples.
The legislation, though promised by the coalition in its election
manifesto last year, was the subject of protracted debate within the
government, which includes far-left components as well as centrist
Catholics.
The law, bitterly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church, would apply to
unmarried couples regardless of sexual orientation.
The cabinet held an extraordinary meeting overnight to finalise the bill.
In order to satisfy all components of the ruling coalition, the new
legislation will result in far less robust civil unions, or PACS, than
those that exist elsewhere in Europe.
The Church and the Vatican see the planned legislation as an attack on
the concept of marriage as the union of a man and a woman, while
two-thirds of Italians favour the measure, according to a poll carried
out last month.
Under the bill, unmarried gay or heterosexual couples would be able to
register their de facto unions and be awarded some of the rights enjoyed
by conventional couples.
In addition to health and social benefits, recognition could provide for
a pension to continue to be paid to a surviving partner, but only
following a minimum period during which the couple lived together.