Portugal set to legalise gay marriage
January 7th, 2010 by Martina.Booth
Portugal is expected to become the sixth European country to approve the legislation of gay marriage tomorrow (Friday 7 January 2010), when a bill comes up for debate in parliament.
Although Portugal is traditionally one of Europe’s most socially conservative countries, the bill is almost certain to pass as left-wing parties, who support gay marriage, occupy the majority of parliamentary seats.
The bill will change Portuguese law to remove references of marriage as being between two people of different sexes. If passed tomorrow, it will go to a parliamentary committee before final approval.
It is expected that the first gay marriage ceremonies will take place in April - a month before Pope Benedict’s XVI’s official visit to the Roman Catholic country.
While the Catholic Church is normally vocal on the role of family and marriage in society, Lisbon’s Catholic Cardinal Patriarch Jose Policarpo has said that gay marriage is “parliament’s responsibility”.
Gay marriage is currently permitted in five European countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Norway.
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