On Wednesday, the Italian parliament, after years of intense political fighting, approved of same sex unions. While the new law provides for homosexual civil unions, it also gave more rights to heterosexual couples who remain together but are not married. With this legislation, Italy becomes the last Western nation to formally and legally recognize same sex unions or marriage.
Because of the intense political infighting, much of the draft bill had to be compromised on. Gay activists gathered outside of the parliament building to show their support for the law while Catholic Christian groups are severely opposed to the measure. This reaches a political culmination for Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, 41, who had promised the gay community that he would bring their political concerns to the forefront when he assumed power back in 2014.
In one form or another, a gay union’s bill had been slowly making its way through parliament since late in 2013. The final tally in favor of the bill in the Chamber of Deputies was 369-193. The new Italian law now gives same sex unions many of the same civil rights as heterosexual marriages in that same sex couples can now inherit from their partner, use the same surname and be allowed to draw from a partner’s pension.
In addition, both heterosexual couples, who are unmarried, and homosexual couples will be allowed to sue for alimony following a breakup. Also, unmarried couples that share a home will be entitled to certain property rights and will be seen as next of kin by the law in the event one of the partners takes ill, goes to prison, or dies.
One of the most controversial of all of the clauses in the bill is one that allows or parenthood. Political and social conservatives are outraged over this “stepchild clause” and the Catholic Christian community is firmly against it because they believe it will eventually allow for surrogate births which is currently illegal in Italy.
PHOTO CREDIT: CNN