Today, Thursday 25 February, at 19 pm, the Aula del Senate vote the confidence in the Cirinnà bill on civil unions. This was decided yesterday by the conference of group leaders in Palazzo Madama, after the Renzi government raised the question of trust in the maxi-amendment to the provision, which provides the removal of stepchild adoption.
"The agreement is closed - said Senator Andrea Marcucci (Pd) -, the amendment is written, it's very good, we await the stamping by the State Accounting Office".
In addition to adopting the partner's child, the obligation of fidelity has also disappeared from the text – which according to the centrists brought civil unions too close to marriage – but that of maintenance in the event of termination of the union remained. The law also provides for the possibility of lightning separation in front of the registrar.
“What is foreseen and permitted in the field of adoption by the regulations in force remains unchanged”, reads the text, which, with this reformulation, excludes the application of the Cirinnà bill to the law on adoptions of 1983. However, parliamentary sources explain, the jurisprudence that has emerged so far on the cases of appeals filed by same-sex couples.
as to stepchild adoption proper, is not definitively set aside. Luigi Zanda, leader of the Democratic Party in the Senate, assured that will be introduced in a new draft law on adoptions. The text will enjoy "a preferential lane" and will be approved by the House and Senate "by the end of this legislature".
Premier Matteo Renzi commented on Twitter:
The agreement on civil unions is a historic fact for Italy. Really #the right time
- Matteo Renzi (@matteorenzi) 24 February 2016
“We are really one step away from a historic law – commented the signatory of the bill, Monica Cirinnà -, which will finally assign, after an unbearable delay, concrete and full rights to gay couples. In the maxi amendment there is a passage of guarantee that does not preclude the work of the magistrates in the protection of the emotional continuity of the minor. The recognition of family life and the anti-discrimination rule of Article 3 are also made explicit. The commitment that I feel like making today, following the indications of secretary Renzi, to work immediately on a draft law to reform adoptions remains unchanged” .
