The Republic of San Marino has just passed a law allowing civil unions for same-sex couples!
Just a few hours ago (of this article’s publishing), the landlocked microstate within the Italian Peninsula, which is considered the smallest and oldest still living republic in the world, voted to legalize and recognize the unions of same-sex couples.
The Great and General Council voted 40 v. 4 in favor of the Regulation of Civil Unions law with an addition 4 lawmakers choosing to abstain, according to Italian news source Gay News.
Possibly the most important section of the law with 14 articles is its definition of a civil union:
"The civil union is the contract by which a family-like community is governed by two adult individuals of the same sex or different sex in order to organize their life in common.”
Approvata la legge sulle Unioni Civili. La commissione pari opportunità: "giornata storica per San Marino"
Nella seduta notturna del Consiglio Grande e Generale è stata approvato, in seconda lettura, il progetto di legge sulle unioni civili. Il testo è passato con 40 voti favorevoli, 4 contrari e 4 astenuti.
La nuova normativa equipara unioni civili e matrimonio in materia di residenza, cittadinanza, assistenza sanitaria, successione, previdenza e pensione di reversibilità.
Esulta il comitato promotore della legge di iniziativa popolare, che ha seguito tutto l'iter di approvazione a Palazzo Pubblico ed è stato fra i primi a comunicare la notizia sui social con un entusiastico "è passata!". Read more via Rtv San Marino
At the second session of the Great and General Council , the draft law on civil unions was approved at second reading . The text passed with 40 votes in favor , 4 against and 4 abstentions.
The new legislation equates civil unions and marriage in matters of residence, citizenship, health care, succession, retirement provision and survivors' pensions.
The promoter committee of the popular initiative law , which followed the approval process at Palazzo Pubblico, is one of the first to communicate the news on social media with an enthusiastic " it's gone! ".