Italy joins rest of EU in recognizing gay civil unions

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's cabinet won a confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, which ensured the final approval to a new law on same-sex civil unions.

The lower house voted 369 for the cabinet and 193 against it, thus granting the passage of the bill despite a strong opposition from conservative and catholic political forces.

Hailed as a landmark vote, it made Italy the 28th European Union country to give legal recognition to same-sex partnership.

The new law recognizes the civil union of both same-sex and heterosexual couples, giving them the same rights, benefits, and protections as married couples from many, but not all, perspectives.

As such, straight and gay couples choosing the civil partnership will be granted the right to see their union officially recognized by state authorities, to benefit from the deceased partner's pension, to take the partner's surname, as well as get each other's property and inheritance.

They will also be given the right to assist the partner in hospital, and access his or her medical records and other personal information, as much as family members.

However, they will not be given the identical status as married couples, and will not have the right to adopt their partner's children. Endit