The Italian Senate Passes Same-Sex Civil Union Bill




The Italian Senate has approved a same-sex civil union bill by a vote of 173 – 71.  

The European Court of Human Rights had criticised Italy for its lack of LGBTI legislation. 

 Western Europe has left Italy in the dust: Denmark introduced same-sex civil unions in 1989. 

 The Republic of Ireland (with a similar religious history) voted yes to same-sex marriage by public referendum in 2015 

The Civil Union bill still has to pass through the Lower House, but Prime Minister Matteo Renzi does have more support there, and The Senate was always going to be the toughest obstacle. 

The bill will give important legal rights to LGBTI couples: next of kin, and inheritance rights, the right to take a partner’s surname, and the right to a deceased partner’s pension.

It isn’t all good news, however. The bill’s ‘Stepchild Provision’ (allowing couples to adopt a partner’s biological children) was removed after opponents argued it would lead to surrogacy, which is illegal in Italy. 



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