Italian town votes to allow gay ‘civil unions’ despite no law allowing it
ROME , May 12, 2014 – The municipal authorities of the city of Crotone in the far south of Italy have voted to allow resident same-sex partners to register as “ civil unions ,” despite the fact that there is no provision in Italian law for such recognition. Opponents of the move have called it “futile” and ideologically motivated, since such registries would have no legal reality. On May 6, the town council approved a resolution that said the intention was to “provide for the protection and support of civil unions in order to overcome situations of discrimination and promoting integration into the social, cultural and economic development of the territory.” “Areas of concern” for the resolution included “housing, health and social services, youth policy, sports, education, school and educational services, rights and participation, transportation.” It says that the new rule will allow the registry of “civil unions” for “two persons of different sex or of the same sex and