Same-sex marriage in Portugal
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Portugal since June 5, 2010.[1][2] The government of Prime Minister José Sócrates introduced a bill for legalization in December 2009; it was passed by the Assembly of the Republic in February 2010. The bill was declared legally valid by the Portuguese Constitutional Court in April 2010. On May 17, 2010, President Aníbal Cavaco Silva ratified the law and Portugal became the sixth country in Europe and the eighth country in the world to allow same-sex marriage nationwide.[3][4] The law was published in the official journal Diário da Republica on May 31, 2010 and became effective on June 5, 2010.[5][2]
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[edit] Constitutional Court ruling
On February 1, 2006, a lesbian couple applied for a marriage licence. Their application was refused, but the couple, Teresa Pires and Helena Paixão, promised to challenge the ban in court, saying that it discriminated against them on the basis of sexual orientation, where this type of discrimination is banned by the 1976 constitution.[6] Discrimination based on sexual orientation was made illegal in 2004. In May 2007, the court rejected the motion and they appealed to the Portuguese Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court received the case in July 2007. Helena and Teresa's lawyer, Luís Grave Rodrigues, presented their allegations on October 19, 2007, including seven legal opinions (pareceres) from Portuguese professors of law arguing that the ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.[7][8]
On July 31, 2009, the Constitutional Court decided on a 3–2 vote that the constitution does not demand the recognition of same-sex marriage,[9][10] but also does not oppose it, and that the decision must be made by the Assembly of the Republic.
[edit] Legislative action
[edit] The BE and PEV's bills
Two bills to legalize same-sex marriage were presented to Parliament on October 10, 2008. The bills were introduced separately by the Left Bloc (BE) and Green Party (PEV). Both bills were rejected by parliament on opposition from the governing Socialist Party and the main opposition Social Democratic Party.[11][12]
[edit] The Government's bill
Prime Minister José Sócrates stated on 18 January 2009 that, if re-elected in the September 2009 elections, he planned to introduce a bill to allow same-sex couples the right to marry. While the bill did not contemplate adoption, most LGBT organizations in Portugal supported the measure as an important step towards equality.[13][14][15]
In March 2009, Jorge Lacão, the Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, confirmed that the Socialist government intended to legalize same-sex marriage if re-elected in 2009.[16]
Manuela Ferreira Leite, the leader of the conservative Social Democratic Party, expressed her disapproval on the recognition of same-sex marriage.[17]
In May 2009, a grassroots movement, The Movement for Equality in Access to Civil Marriage, was formed to campaign for the proposed same-sex marriage law. It attracted the support of several Portuguese celebrities, including Nobel Prize winner José Saramago and the Mayor of Lisbon António Costa.[18]
In October 2009, the newly re-elected José Sócrates made an assurance that the Socialist Party would move ahead with its campaign promise of same-sex marriage. The proposition received strong support from the Left Bloc, with its parliamentary leader presenting a proposed amendment to the Family Code which would make the definition of marriage gender-neutral.[19][20][21][22] In mid-October 2009 Jorge Lacão said it would be likely that same-sex marriage would be legalised in early 2010.[23]
On November 3, 2009, José Ribeiro e Castro, a member of the CDS-PP, called for a referendum[24] but the Socialist Party and Left Bloc rejected that idea.[25][26][27][28] On November 4, Francisco Assis, the parliamentary leader of the Socialist Party, said same-sex marriage bill would be voted soon and confirmed that the bill would not allow same-sex couples to adopt children.[29][30]
On December 17, 2009, the Government approved the same-sex marriage bill.[31][32]
On January 8, 2010, after a debate, which included the intervention of the Prime Minister,[33][34][35] the Portuguese Parliament passed the bill establishing same-sex marriage in its first reading.[36][37] On 10 February, the Constitutional Affairs Committee of Parliament approved the bill.[38] The final parliamentary vote took place on 11 February, with the bill being approved.[39][40] On February 24, the Constitutional Affairs Committee sent the bill to the Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva.[41][42]
On March 13, the President asked the Constitutional Court to verify whether the bill was constitutional.[43][44] On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Court ruled (11–2) for the constitutionality of the bill, with three members concluding that the Constitution required the recognition of same-sex marriages.[45][46][47][48] The ruling was published in the official gazette on April 28, giving President Aníbal Cavaco Silva twenty days to sign, or veto, the bill.[49][50]
On May 17, the President signed the bill.[51][52] The law was published in Diário da República on May 31, 2010 and became effective on June 5, 2010.[5][2] On June 7, Teresa Pires and Helena Paixão became the first same-sex couple to marry in Portugal.[53][54]
[edit] Opposition
A number of groups opposed legalizing same-sex marriage during the process of discussion and continue to do so after ratification.
The Catholic Church in Portugal was opposed to the law and, while Portugal is a constitutional secular country, its status as a historically Catholic country was also a reason for the media sensationalism which heightened the controversy over the law.[55][56][57]
On January 8, 2010, the parliament rejected a motion calling to the national referendum about same-sex marriage.[58] In February, 5,000 people demonstrated against legalization of same-sex marriage in a march in Lisbon.[59]
On May 13, 2010, four days before the ratification of the law by the Portuguese President, during an official visit to Portugal, Pope Benedict XVI, affirmed his opposition to same-sex marriage, describing it as "insidious and dangerous".[60][61]
[edit] Marriage norms
On July 19, 2010, Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado has publish the following rules on marriage [62]:
- Marriages conducted abroad must be transcribed by civil registries even if they were made before the approval date of marriage equality;
- Marriages performed under alternative legislation to civil marriage, such as civil partnerships and civil unions, can not be transcribed;
- Foreign nationals can marry even if marriage between same-sex couples is not recognized in their country of origin;
- Same-sex foreign nationals can marry in Portugal without the need to establish residency;
- Co-adoptions with same-sex couples performed abroad are not recognized in Portugal.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ (Portuguese) Lei Nº9/2010 de 31 de Maio - Permite o casamento civil entre pessoas do mesmo sexo
- ^ a b c (Portuguese) Segunda-feira já vai ser possível celebrar casamentos entre pessoas do mesmo sexo
- ^ Hatton, Barry (May 17, 2010). "Portugal's president ratifies gay marriage law". Associated Press (Google News). Archived from the original on June 5, 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5qFyRcQPb. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
- ^ Portugal's president to ratify same-sex marriage law
- ^ a b (Portuguese) Lei n.º 9/2010 de 31 de Maio Permite o casamento civil entre pessoas do mesmo sexo
- ^ Portugal blocks lesbian marriage
- ^ (Portuguese) Pareceres de personalidades sustentam alegações de recurso entregue no TConstitucional
- ^ (Portuguese) "Quero-as casadas na Primavera"
- ^ Portugal Gay Marriage Ban Upheld By Court
- ^ Portugal’s Constitutional Court Rejects Challenge To Same-Sex Marriage Ban
- ^ Portugal Says No To Gay Mariiage
- ^ Portugal's Parliament Votes Against Gay Marriage
- ^ Leader of Portuguese Ruling Party Seeks to Create Homosexual "Marriage" in Portugal
- ^ Portugal May Be Next in Line for Gay Marriage
- ^ (Portuguese) Sócrates quer casamento gay e referendo à regionalização
- ^ (Portuguese) Casamentos na próxima legislatura
- ^ (Portuguese) Ferreira Leite admite discriminar casais 'gay'
- ^ Same-sex marriage campaign launched in Portugal
- ^ (Portuguese) BE disponível para aprovar a curto prazo casamento homossexual
- ^ (Portuguese) Casamentos gay: BE já entregou diploma para legalização
- ^ (Portuguese) BE avança hoje com casamento homossexual
- ^ Portugal to legalize same-sex marriage
- ^ (Portuguese) Portugal: Casamento gay já durante o próximo ano ?
- ^ (Portuguese) Casamentos homossexuais: Ribeiro e Castro quer referendo
- ^ (Portuguese) Sócrates rejeita referendo sobre casamentos homossexuais
- ^ (Portuguese) Casamentos entre homossexuais avançam
- ^ (Portuguese) BE acha "descabido" referendo sobre casamentos homossexuais
- ^ (Portuguese) Sócrates rejeita referendo sobre casamentos gay
- ^ (Portuguese) PS recusa referendo e afasta adopção
- ^ (Portuguese) PS impõe disciplina de voto no casamento homossexual
- ^ Portugal tipped to allow gay marriage
- ^ Portuguese govt aims to permit gay marriage
- ^ (Portuguese) Apresentação da Proposta de Lei do casamento civil entre pessoas do mesmo sexo
- ^ "Portugal's Prime Minister: Gay marriage fundamental to equality". Javno.com (Croatia). 2010-01-08. http://www.javno.com/en-world/gay-marriage-fundamental-to-equality_289187. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
- ^ "Portuguese Government debates legalisation of gay marriage". Demotix. 2010-01-08. http://www.demotix.com/news/218316/portuguese-government-debates-legalisation-gay-marriage. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
- ^ "Same-sex marriage law backed in Portugal's parliament". BBC. 2010-01-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8448640.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
- ^ "Portugal MPs approve gay marriage". RTÉ News. 2010-01-08. http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0108/portugal.html. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
- ^ (Portuguese) Casamento homossexual: diploma aprovado sem alterações na especialidade
- ^ Portuguese Lawmakers Approve Gay Marriage Bill
- ^ Gay marriage approved by the Portuguese Parliament
- ^ Portugal's Gay Marriage Bill Receives Final Approval
- ^ (Portuguese) Casamento gay: redacção final do diploma aprovada
- ^ Portugal Gay Marriage Bill Forwarded To Constitutional Court
- ^ (Portuguese) Tribunal Constitucional vai fiscalizar casamento homossexual
- ^ (Portuguese) Comunicado de 8 de Abril de 2010
- ^ (Portuguese) ACÓRDÃO N.º 121/2010
- ^ Portugal's Constitutional Court OKs Gay Marriage
- ^ Portuguese High Court Approve Same-Sex Marriage Law
- ^ 20 Days To Decide On Gay Marriage In Portugal
- ^ (Portuguese) Acórdão que dá luz verde ao casamento gay publicado hoje em Diário da República
- ^ Pope leaves, Portuguese President signs gay marriage pact
- ^ Lawmakers In Portugal Legalize Gay Marriage
- ^ Portugal lesbian couple in nation's first gay marriage
- ^ Lesbian couple Teresa Pires and Helena Paixao wed in Portugal
- ^ Portugal same-sex bill angers Catholic bishops
- ^ Catholic Portugal set to legalize gay marriage
- ^ Same-sex marriages hot debate in deeply Catholic Portugal
- ^ (Portuguese) Propõe a realização de um referendo sobre o casamento entre pessoas do mesmo sexo
- ^ Thousands Protest Portugal's Upcoming Gay Marriage Law
- ^ In Portugal, Pope Calls Gay Marriage An 'Insidious' Threat
- ^ Pope says gay marriage is 'insidious and dangerous'
- ^ (Portuguese) Despacho 87/2010
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