Portugal Becomes Eighth Country
to Allow Same-Sex Marriage

May 17, 2010

Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva, a practicing Roman Catholic from Portugal's main opposition centre-right party, says he has put his personal convictions aside in deciding to approve the legislation.

The law, adopted in February by the centre-left dominated parliament, removes the reference in Portugal's statutes to marriage being between two people of different sexes.

However, the new law explicitly states married homosexual couples do not have the right to adopt children.

Pope Benedict XVI criticized gay marriage and abortion as "insidious and dangerous threats to the common good" during a visit to Portugal last week.

Portugal is the sixth European country to accept gay marriage, following Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway. Internationally they also follow Canada and South Africa.

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