Italy has been criticised by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for its ‘failure’ to recognise in law the status of same-sex couples.
In a ruling arising from a case taken by three same-sex couples who argued that Italy was engaging in discrimination against them for its stance, a seven-judge panel of the ECHR ruled that Italy should move towards greater rights for gay couples to bring it into line with the rest of the EU. Italy remains the only nation in Europe not to recognise civil partnerships.
“The Court considered that the legal protection currently available in Italy to same-sex couples…not only failed to provide for the core needs relevant to a couple in a stable committed relationship, but it was also not sufficiently reliable,” the judges said in summing up.
The court awarded costs and damages to the couples involved in the case. Italy’s left-wing Government announced that it would now work towards introducing legislation on gay civil unions by the end of 2015. Earlier draft legislation on the issue has remained stalled at the Senate by a raft of amendments brought by opponents to any change in the current status of marriage and civil partnerships.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said: “This is the last call, we will pass this law by the end of the year in order to remain in line with the rest of Europe, even if we are already too late.”