Rome's brand-new civil unions
registry kicked off Thursday as 20 couples - 14 of them gay and
six straight - sealed their commitment to one another at City
Hall.
Actors Michela Andreozzi and Massimiliano Vado were first
in line to celebrate their civil union on what center-left Mayor
Ignazio Marino has called Celebration Day.
Another couple tying the knot are Paola and Stella, both
volunteers at Rome's Gay Center who have been together for 31
years.
"Today a just, serene, peaceful and egalitarian Italy takes
center stage," said grooms Mauro Cioffari and Davide Conte.
"Long live love, long live liberty".
The proceedings were briefly marred by a lone protester, who
insulted the mayor and shouted "You are ruining Italy" at
participants before leaving of his own accord.
Rome's city council in January approved the establishment of
a special register for civil unions.
The controversial move was backed by Marino, who hails from
the ruling Democratic Party (PD), his centre-left coalition and
the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S).
The New Center Right (NCD), Silvio Berlusconi's
center-right Forza Italia (FI) and the rightwing Brothers of
Italy (FdI) parties voted against.
The Rome mayor, who has long favored the recognition of
civil unions, was on hand for the vote that he called a
"historic milestone".
Marino, along with the mayors of Bologna, Florence, Reggio
Emilia, Trieste and Udine, has already transcribed same-sex
marriages contracted abroad to the city's registers.
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano - who is from the NCD -
has stated that mayors don't have the authority to do so under
Italian law, which doesn't recognize gay marriages.
The European Parliament in March called on EU member
states that have not already done so, to recognise civil unions
and same-sex marriage as a civil and human right.
Premier Matteo Renzi has said his government wants a civil
unions bill approved sometime this year.
Also on Thursday, Italian bishops chief cardinal Angelo
Bagnasco said in response to a question on Ireland's gay
marriage referendum that "weakening families weakens society".
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