News, April 2005

Homosexual 'Marriage' approved by Congress

21st April. This morning the Congress, Spain's lower house, voted in favour of changing the Civil Code to allow homosexual 'marriages', to be considered legally on the same level as heterosexual marriage. Conservatives in the house voted against the change. Representatives of all the recognised religious groups in Spain, including protestants, as well as other groups, such as the Spanish Family Forum, have expressed their concern and objections to the law.

A petition against it was handed in on the 20th, signed by over half a million people. The judges' council CGPJ objected to the rush to bring the changes to law. Yet the Socialist government seems to be in a hurry to impose its 'manifesto pledges' before the parliament reaches mid-term.

Nevertheless, although Congress approved the law, it now faces the Senate, where the Socialists are at a disadvantage. Already (28th April) the Socialist leader in the Senate has said he will consider changes to smoothe the bill's passage through the remaining stages.

Even supporters of a relative equality are concerned about the rights to adopt that the legal change will allow, although in practice there are virtually no children for adoption in Spain and therefore the laws of third countries will come into play.