The Council of State on Thursday
approved a government decree setting up civil union registries
across the country to implement Italy's new civil unions law,
which extends to gay couples some of the same rights and
protections straight married couples currently enjoy.
The decree says a wide range of public officials can
perform the ceremony, bypassing possible "conscientious
objections" from conservative or Catholic mayors who object to
the recognition of gay couples, officials told reporters at a
press conference.
Pope Francis said in an interview published in France's La
Croix in May this year that Catholics should have the right to
conscientious objection on issues such as "euthanasia and
marriage between people of the same sex".
"Once a law has been voted, the State must respect
individual consciences," the pontiff said.
"In each juridical structure, conscientious objection must
be present because it is a human right - including for a
government official," noted the pontiff, adding that "the State
must respect criticism"
"This is true secularism," he concluded.
The civil unions bill became law on May 11, bringing Italy
up to speed in western Europe where it had been the only country
not to have either legalised gay marriage or recognised civil
unions between same-sex couples.
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