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Gay News: Portugal has ratified its gay marriage law, making it the sixth European country to allow same-sex marriage.
By: Nigel Robinson
President says he set aside personal convictions
President says he set aside personal convictions
Portugal agrees on gay marriage in spite of President.
Portugal has ratified its gay marriage law, making it the sixth European country to allow same-sex marriage.
This is in spite of opposition from right-wing parties, who had demanded a national referendum on the matter, as well as the country’s conservative President himself.
In a televised address to the nation, President Anibal Cavaco Silva said that he would not veto the Bill, which had been voted on by the country’s left-wing government, arguing that a majority of liberal politicians would overturn his decision.
In doing so, he claimed that he was setting aside his “personal convictions”, and that his country should now focus on the economic situation.
"Given that fact, I feel I should not contribute to a pointless extension of this debate, which would only serve to deepen the divisions between the Portuguese and divert the attention of politicians away from the grave problems affecting us," he said.
Portugal is a predominantly Catholic country, and the President’s decision comes only days after a Papal visit when the Pope denounced homosexuality as “dangerous” and “insidious”.
The other European countries which allow gay marriage are Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.
