Big rise in divorces after procedure speeded up

(ANSA) - Rome, November 14 - There were 82,469 divorces in Italy in 2015, a 57% rise with respect to 2014, Istat said Monday.
    The rise follows a law that came into force late in 2014 to simplify divorces and separation procedures and another that came into effect in the middle of 2015 reducing the period of separation needed to get divorced from three years to six months.
    The number of separations also rose in 2015, but only by 2.7% with respect to 2014, taking it up to 91,706. On average, men are 48 when they separate and women are 45.
    The propensity to separate is lower for couples who got married with a religious ceremony.