Spain Defies Church
to Legalize Gay Marriage
By REUTERS from the
NYTims on the Web, June 30, 2005
MADRID -- Spain legalized
same-sex marriages on Thursday, becoming only the fourth country to do so after
Belgium, Canada and the Netherlands and overriding fierce opposition from the
Catholic Church.
"With the approval of this law, our country takes a further step on the road of
freedom and tolerance," said Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez
Zapatero, who has embarked on a social reform program since his election last
year.
Supporters jumped to their feet to celebrate in a crowded public gallery when
parliament voted to push the law through. Outside, dozens of same-sex
couples hugged and kissed, some of them in tears.
The Catholic Church has strongly resisted Spain's gay marriage law but a survey
last year showed 70 percent of Spaniards supported legalizing gay marriage.
"This changes my life 100 percent. It changes the focus of my life from
being a bachelor ... to having a formal family with children," Evarist Beneyto,
a 26-year-old administrator, said.
"I never thought we would get to this point," he said.
Mariano Rajoy, leader of Spain's conservative opposition Popular Party which
opposed the law, accused Zapatero of acting irresponsibly by pushing through a
gay marriage law instead of seeking consensus on a less far-reaching civil
unions law.
DIVISIONS
"He has caused an enormous division in Spanish society," he said. Rajoy said the
Popular Party would study an appeal to Spain's constitutional court and a party
colleague said it would consider repealing the law if it returned to office.
Earlier this month, bishops and nuns marched through Madrid with hundreds of
thousands of Spaniards to protest against gay marriage and last month Spanish
Roman Catholic bishops commanded all Catholics to resist applying the same-sex
marriage law.
Spain's Congress on Thursday approved the bill, overriding the upper house, the
Senate, which had rejected it.
The law gives same-sex unions the same status as heterosexual ones, including
inheritance rights, pensions and the adoption of children.
During the 1939 to 1975 dictatorship of Francisco Franco, homosexuality, divorce
and abortion were illegal. But since Franco's death the country has
adopted some of the most liberal views in Europe.
Zapatero's liberal reforms are popular among young people. Fewer than a
fifth of them are practicing Catholics.
Canada on Tuesday became the third country to legalize same-sex marriages.
Belgium allowed for them in June 2003. The Netherlands allowed same
sex-marriages in December 2000 although Dutch law had recognized registered
partnerships since 1998.
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