Sat 27 Feb 2016 In: International News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Italy’s civil union bill has passed a vote in the Senate but it has come at a cost, with amendments axing parenting and adoption rights. Coming up against strong opposition from the Catholic Church, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi agreed to amend the bill last week and it has now passed through the Senate with 173 votes to 71. LGBTI rights groups say many of the legal protections for same-sex couples have now been removed from the bill. Marilena Grassadonia of LGBTI group Rainbow Families says; “We are outraged, angry, disappointed. “We can’t believe that in 2016 … in a country like Italy which is so proud to be part of this Europe, that it’s possible to make a law on civil unions without considering children who should be protected as Italian citizens and discriminated minors.” Adoption rights were removed from the bill meaning adoption may be granted to same-sex couples on a case by case basis as previously the case. Joyce Hamilton, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, says; “Same-sex couples are raising children as we speak. “These children already exist and have had to listen as some politicians derided their lives in an acrimonious public campaign. After all of that, children in rainbow families are still left in legal limbo and unprotected. Additionally, the removal of the fidelity clause (requiring the couples to remain faithful to each other) is simply an attempt to distinguish civil unions from marriage as much as possible.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 27th February 2016 - 10:12am