Silvio Berlusconi, the leader of
Italy's Forza Italia political party, one of the nation's three major
political parties, has backed civil unions for gay couples.
The former Italian premier told
reporters that civil unions are the “right compromise” between
freedom and “deep respect for Christian values and for traditional
families,” the AP reported.
A civil unions bill was introduced in
June. Under the proposal, introduced by MP Monica Cirinna, a member
of Italy's Democratic Party, couples who register for a civil union
will receive all the rights and obligations of marriage, with the
exception of limited adoption rights.
The center-right Forza Italia remains
opposed to marriage equality.
Berlusconi's fiancee, Francesca
Pascale, joined Arcigay, Italy's largest LGBT rights advocate, over
the summer and supports allowing gay couples to marry.
(Related: Rome's
Ignazio Marino registers marriages of 16 gay couples.)