Madrid -
Spain's new Socialist government has wasted no time in making good on an election promise to gay voters.
"We are going to present a bill to set gay unions on the same footing as marriage," incoming prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said on Thursday in an interview on Spain's Telecinco television channel.
Zapatero said that recognizing gay families was a characteristic of a "modern and tolerant society" but he added that the legislation may not use the term marriage.
"From a semantic point of view marriage may be a concept that does not cover this type of union, but it will have the same legal effects," he said.
Zapatero did not say when the legislation would be put before parliament. The conservative Popular Party had rejected several calls to allow same-sex marriages during its tenure in office..
Zapatero swept to a surprise victory in general elections held on Sunday.
by Malcolm Thornberry
365Gay.com Newscenter
European Bureau Chief
©365Gay.com® 2004
"We are going to present a bill to set gay unions on the same footing as marriage," incoming prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said on Thursday in an interview on Spain's Telecinco television channel.
Zapatero said that recognizing gay families was a characteristic of a "modern and tolerant society" but he added that the legislation may not use the term marriage.
"From a semantic point of view marriage may be a concept that does not cover this type of union, but it will have the same legal effects," he said.
Zapatero did not say when the legislation would be put before parliament. The conservative Popular Party had rejected several calls to allow same-sex marriages during its tenure in office..
Zapatero swept to a surprise victory in general elections held on Sunday.
by Malcolm Thornberry
365Gay.com Newscenter
European Bureau Chief
©365Gay.com® 2004
This article originally appeared on 365gay.com. Republished with permission.
