Former Puglia governor Nichi
Vendola said in an interview with Matrix talk show to be aired
on Channel 5 Wednesday that the debate on stepchild adoption has
become "hysterical".
"I believe the reality is very simple," said the openly gay
politician, founder of the small leftwing Left Ecology and
Freedom (SEL) party, and new dad.
"A couple with a child who is the biological child of one
of the two partners, but whom both are raising - I believe it
natural to safeguard their rights in case the biological father
came to be missing, for whatever reason".
The birth in California at the weekend of a little boy via
an American surrogate mother for Vendola and his Canadian
partner, Ed Testa, has fuelled a row in Italy over adoptions for
members of the LGBT community.
Tension over the issue of gays adopting children continued
earlier this week even though a provision that would have
allowed homosexuals to adopt their partners' biological children
was stripped from a bill regulating civil unions the Senate
approved last week.
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