(see related story)
The government of Premier Giorgia
Meloni cannot continue to trample on the dignity of children of
gay couples said the leader of the centre-left opposition
Democratic Party (Pd) Elly Schlein after a Padua court upheld
the right of both partners in a lesbian couple to be registered
as mothers.
Hailing the "good news" from the northern Veneto region, Schlein
blasted the fact that "one again" the protection of children of
homosexual couples has had to pass through a court.
"Politics and parliament (now) have an important responsibility:
to approve a law that recognizes equal dignity for all
families," she added.
"The PD has already filed a bill that goes in this direction, as
have many of the other opposition forces. What does Giorgia
Meloni's government have to say? Will she continue to stonewall
us, or will she allow us to bring Italy in line with other EU
countries?"
The government "cannot continue to ignore and trample on the
dignity and rights of hundreds of girls and boys by closing its
eyes to the plurality of family models that are present in our
country," she concluded.
Opposition +Europe Secretary Riccardo Magi expressed similar
sentiments.
"Great news for families, children and rights in Italy. Bad news
instead for Meloni, Salvini and various other homophobes," he
said.
"But a court decision is not enough, we cannot leave to judges
the fate of people who want to have a family: we need a law to
bridge this gap with the rest of Europe, where egalitarian
marriages are now the law everywhere.
"Italy continues to lag behind on rights and is a black spot in
the western world," added Magi.
"I am a father and a grandfather, on top of being mayor, and for
me it is impossible to imagine there being A-leauge and B-league
children," said Padua's independent centre-left mayor Sergio
Giordani, whose administration supported the families in their
legal battle.
"(There has been) No clash with the public prosecutor's office,
which I thank," he added.
"Now I hope that parliament will urgently take note of the fact
that there is a serious legal vacuum and legislate to protect
these families," he continued.
"It is a matter of love, common sense and rights for these
minors who would otherwise be exposed to unacceptable
discrimination," concluded Giordani.
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