Italy same-sex marriage: Rallies held across country Saturday January 23,2016

 

Tens of thousands of people have marched in cities across Italy, demanding legal recognition for same-sex couples.

The rallies were held as lawmakers are due to debate the deeply divisive issue next week.
Opponents of the bill in the mainly Catholic nation are planning to hold their own demonstration next Saturday January 23,2016

On Saturday January 23,2016, protesters said gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to have civil unions and legally recognised families.

They also said their parental rights should also be enshrined in law.

"They are here. They exist, they are part of our families, and it is unfair that they do not have the same rights as other Italian children," Mirco Pierro, who together with his partner and two children rallied in Rome

A small number of municipalities in Italy allow local civil unions, but there is a national ban on same-sex marriage

Note

Italy is the only major Western European country with no civil partnerships or gay marriage.