The Portuguese Constitutional Court has given its approval to a measure that will make same-sex marriage legal and would come into effect just ahead of a visit to the Portugal by Pope Benedict XVI.
The Portuguese Socialist-controlled Parliament finalized and passed the law legalizing same-sex marriage in February and sent the law to Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva on March 5 who sent it to the Constitutional Court for review after expressing doubts over whether it was constitutional.
Opponents of the bill, including Cavaco Silva, had called for a national referendum on the issue. In 2001, gay couples in Portugal won the right to civil unions, in which they were granted certain legal, tax and property rights. But they were not allowed to take their partner’s name, nor inherit possessions or state pension money – all of which would be allowed under the new marriage law. However this law still forbids gay couple from adopting children.
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