Guest guest Posted June 30, 2005 Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 Last Updated: Thursday, 30 June, 2005, 10:09 GMT 11:09 UK E-mail this to a friend Printable version Spanish MPs approve gay marriages Spain's lower house of parliament has voted in favour of allowing gay couples to marry and adopt children. The controversial decision overrules last week's rejection of the bill by the upper house, the Senate. The bill will become law in a month's time, making Spain Europe's third nation after the Netherlands and Belgium to allow same sex marriages. Polls suggest most Spaniards back the move, although two weeks ago thousands joined a Madrid rally against the bill. Need for unity A Roman Catholic group had presented MPs with a 600,000-signature petition opposing the legislation and were lobbying hard for a referendum on the issue. We are not legislating, ladies and gentlemen, for remote unknown people - we are expanding opportunities for the happiness of our neighbours, our work colleagues, our friends, our relatives Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero They are urging conservative lawmakers to take legal action to have gay marriages declared unconstitutional. Some of Spain's local mayors have said they will not officiate at gay marriages. The Roman Catholic Church wields great influence in Spain, but the BBC's Katya Adler in Madrid says that since the Madrid bomb attacks in March 2004, Spaniards want unity among their people more than anything. The vote was carried with 187 votes in favour, 147 against and four abstentions. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4636133.stm Dear List Members, Dasha is Ra/Ra/Ke/Ke/Ra. Best wishes, satva Jorge Angelino Rua da Sociedade Filarmónica Perpétua Azeitonense, 29 2925-598 Azeitão Portugal jorge.angelino tel: mobile: 210813674 963916784 Add me to your address book... Want a signature like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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