A bill to give legal recognition and protection to same-sex couples was presented to parliament on Wednesday, a significant milestone on Italy's tortuous path to legalizing civil unions.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi had promised that a bill allowing civil unions would become law this year, but that looks highly unlikely, with his main coalition partner, a small center-right group, fiercely opposed to the project.

However, looking to speed up the process, the government on Wednesday briefly presented its bill to the upper house Senate, a move which could open the way for its approval in early 2016.

While stopping short of sanctioning full gay marriages, the legislation offers some of the benefits enjoyed by married couples, such as a share of a deceased partner's pension and automatic inheritance.

The bill would also apply to unmarried heterosexual couples.

...the draft law would allow a homosexual to adopt the child of their partner should that partner die.

Breaking the logjam, Renoir's Democratic Party (PD) decided this week to halt discussion in the commission, bypass hundreds of amendments and bring the text to the full house.

From the end of this week, the Senate calendar will be dominated by discussions over the 2016 budget, but the civil rights law should be able to return to the chamber before the end of the year and then move to the lower house for debate.

A number of opposition parties, including former premier Silvio Berlusconi Forma Italia group, have said they support the plan, meaning it should pass relatively easily when it finally comes to a vote, despite Roman Catholic opposition.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0S81KR20151014

Originally posted by RomanNavy

Italy is the most homophobic country of western europe (Well after the vatican)
Which really sucks cuz i worship Italians they are the most gorgeous people on this planet
Congrats to italy if this passes tho