The take away of this would be Italy becomes another nation pushing through these rights but it is not being called a marriage at least.
Italy approves gay civil unions after long parliamentary battle
Italy's parliament approved same-sex civil unions and gave some rights to unmarried heterosexual couples on Wednesday after Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called a confidence vote to force the bill into law.
Italy is the last major Western country to legally recognize gay couples and an original draft law had to be heavily diluted due to divisions in Renzi's ruling majority.
The bill had faced stiff opposition from Catholic groups who said it went too far, while gay activists said it was too timid.
While parliament was voting, gay rights groups gathered outside with a banner reading: "This is just the beginning."
"Today is a day of celebration in which Italy has taken a step forwards," Renzi said in a radio interview after the legislation was approved.
The 41-year-old premier promised to prioritize legislation for gay rights when he took office in early 2014, but the bill has proven to be one of the most contested of a raft of initiatives he has pushed through parliament.
The bill, originally presented in 2013, cleared its final real hurdle earlier on Wednesday with the confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies, which passed it by 369 votes to 193. The chamber then rubber-stamped the bill with a final ballot.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/italy-approves-gay-civil-unions-after-long-parliamentary-battle/ar-BBsVYKb?ocid=ansmsnnews11
