Croatia passes civil partnerships law

Croatia’s Parliament passed the civil union law with 89 votes in favour Share on WhatsApp 30 reader comments

Croatia’s Parliament has passed a law allowing civil partnerships for same-sex couples.

It means same-sex couples will now enjoy equal inheritance rights, social benefits and tax deductions.

Their unions will be called ”life partnerships” protected by the Constitution.

However, adoption rights for same-sex couples was not included in the bill.

On Tuesday, the Parliament passed the civil union law with 89 votes in favour and 16 against.

The bill was drafted along the lines of its German counterpart, with political support mostly from centre-left and liberal parties in the Coalition Government.

Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic proposed the legislation saying he was determined to establish legal rights for same-sex couples.

In December last year, 65% of voters approved a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

Daniel Martinovic, of Zagreb Pride, recently said:

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US: Civil rights groups ask Obama not to include a religious exemption in upcoming executive order

Civil rights organisations are the latest group to oppose a religious exemption in Obama’s upcoming executive order Share on WhatsApp 1 reader comment

Over 60 civil rights organisations have signed a letter addressed to President Barack Obama today that urges him to not include a religious exemption in his upcoming executive order that bans federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers.

Among the letters notable signers are the NAACP, The Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, and The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

This letter comes after over one hundred faith leaders signed a similar letter to the president last week urging him to minimise the same religious exemption.

If included, the exemption would allow companies and service agencies with federal contracts, including some big-name corporations that do business with federal government, the ability to fire LGBT people for religious reasons.

The letter states:

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Italy: Interior Minister ‘open’ to gay civil unions, but remains against equal marriage and adoption

Angelino Alfano suggested he would support civil unions for gay couples Share on WhatsApp 4 reader comments

In a mixed bag of comments on Thursday, Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, appeared to suggest he was “open” to the idea of introducing civil partnerships, including for gay couples.

Despite insisting that such a move be made “on condition that the value of the family, made up of a man and a woman, is not denied”, Alfano suggested that civil unions could be an option.

In the interview with La Repubblica, he said:  “In the context of the civil code, we have no difficulty reasoning about a matter that exists, namely the protection of people living together, including gays.”

He did go on, however, to state continued opposition to same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption, saying:  “No to gay marriage, no to adoption by gay couples or surrogacy, no to pension reversibility.”

The comments by Alfano were hailed by Laura Cantini, a Democratic Party senator, who said that “all the conditions” were in place to “rapidly” introduce civil unions.

The leader of the Socialist Party Riccardo Nencini, went even further to call on the Italian Parliament to discuss “third generation civil rights”, in a broader sense, saying Italy was “guiltily behind” on some issues.

A spokesman for Italy’s Gay Centre, however, criticised the comments, suggesting they were more negative than positive.

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi last week signalled his support for the gay rights movement, reversing his previous stance.

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Fee to be waived for couples converting a civil partnership to a marriage

Sajid Javid made the announcement in the Commons Share on WhatsApp 32 reader comments

Culture Secretary and Minister for Equalities Sajid Javid has confirmed that couples in civil partnerships will face no additional costs in converting their union to a marriage – providing it is done within 12 months from the date 10 December.

The fee of 

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Christian Concern: Families would be unstable if straight couples could enter civil partnerships

Andrea Minichiello Williams is the head of Christian Concern 11 reader comments

In opposition to the introduction of civil partnerships for straight couples, Christian groups claimed that it would “discourage” opposite sex couples from marrying.

Following a public consultation, the British Government yesterday announced that it would leave in place civil partnerships for gay couples, but would not extend them to straight couples.

76% of respondents to the consultation were opposed to extending civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples, including Christian Concern and Christian Legal Centre.

The two groups responded to the consultation to claim that straight couples would be discouraged from marrying, and that it would lead to instability in families.

“The introduction of heterosexual civil partnerships will inevitably discourage some opposite sex couples from marrying, and result in greater instability within families, by offering a parallel institution that provides all the legal rights and privileges of marriage without the need for lifelong commitment.”

A straight couple from London in March  announced their engagement, but said that they would get civilly partnered rather than married, in order to push for full marriage equality.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell repeatedly called for the coalition’s equal marriage plans to include civil partnerships for heterosexuals.

He criticised then Culture Secretary and Minister for Equalities, Maria Miller, for ruling out the measure during the same-sex marriage debate.

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Sajid Javid: I am pleased to announce that couples can soon convert civil partnerships to marriage

Sajid Javid officially announced that couples will be able to convert civil partnerships from 10 December Get the latest LGBT headlines in your inbox with our free daily newsletter! Join Topics equal marriagegay marriagemarriage equalitysame sex marriagemarriagegay weddingSame-sex weddingweddinglesbian weddinglesbian marriageCivil partnershipsSajid Javid 0 reader comments

Writing exclusively for PinkNews, Minister for Equalities Sajid Javid officially announces that couples in civil partnerships will from December be able to convert to marriage.

On Saturday, thousands of people will descend on central London for the capital’s annual Pride parade.

This year the organisers are asking everyone to share what Pride means to them under the banner of #FreedomTo.

For me, freedom has always been about the right to be who you are and love who you love.  That’s why I was proud to walk through the

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Government to make no changes to civil partnerships following consultation

The Government will make no changes to civil partnerships for the time being Get the latest LGBT headlines in your inbox with our free daily newsletter! Join Topics equal marriagegay marriagemarriage equalitysame sex marriagemarriagegay weddingSame-sex weddingweddinglesbian weddinglesbian marriageCivil partnershipsconsultation 0 reader comments

Following a consultation into the future of civil partnerships, the Government has announced that the legislation will remain in place, unaltered.

The Government consultation into the future of civil partnerships closed in April.

The results were announced by Helen Grant, Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, alongside a review into marriages by non-religious belief organisations.

In a written response to the consultation today, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), revealed the results of the consultation.

The document from the DCMS read: “We have now analysed responses to the consultation on the Civil Partnership Act 2004. A majority of respondents who expressed a view on them were opposed to each of the three main changes to civil partnership. There was therefore no united call for change from respondents to the consultation at this stage.”

Out of more than 10,000 responses, less than a third wanted to abolish civil partnerships, a majority were against ‘grandfathering’ the legislation, meaning no new civil partnerships would be entered, and more than 75% were against opening up civil partnerships to straight couples.

The document goes on to note that “several important organisations thought it was too soon to consider making changes to civil partnership”, but notes that others did make the case for extending civil partnerships to straight couples.

The Government vows to monitor the situation going forward, as more gay couples enter into marriages, some into civil partnerships, and some convert their civil partnerships to marriage from 10 December, as announced by Minister for Equalities Sajid Javid today.

The document confirms: “Given the lack of consensus on the way forward, the Government will not be making any changes.”

A day before same-sex marriage took effect in England and Wales, Labour’s shadow Equalities Minister Gloria De Piero wrote an open letter to Maria Miller, then Culture Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, to urge her to

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Peter Tatchell: ‘David Cameron has betrayed equality by denying straight couples civil partnerships’

Peter Tatchell heavily criticised the government for not extending civil partnerships to straight couples Get the latest LGBT headlines in your inbox with our free daily newsletter! Join 0 reader comments

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has heavily criticised the government for not extending civil partnerships to include straight couples.

Following a consultation into the future of civil partnerships, the Government has announced that the legislation will remain in place, unaltered.

The results showed that 76% of respondents were against extending civil partnerships to straight couples, but that a majority were also against abolishing the legislation altogether.

Peter Tatchell told PinkNews:

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Shadow Equalities Minister Gloria De Piero asks Government on cost of civil partnership conversion

Gloria De Piero asks for clarification around civil partnership conversion Get the latest LGBT headlines in your inbox with our free daily newsletter! Join Topics equal marriagegay marriagemarriage equalitysame sex marriagemarriagegay weddingSame-sex weddingweddinglesbian weddinglesbian marriageCivil partnershipsGovernmentSajid Javidgloria de pieroconversion 0 reader comments

Shadow Equalities Minister Gloria De Piero has asked the Government for clarification on issues surrounding the conversion of civil partnerships to marriage.

Minister for Equalities Sajid Javid earlier today announced that couples already in civil partnerships will be able to convert to marriage by attending a register office from 10 December 2014.

In a letter sent to Mr Javid today, Ms De Piero asks for clarification on issues such as how much it will cost those in civil partnerships to convert.

The Labour shadow minister also expresses disappointment at the length of time of time it took from the passing of the Marriage (Same Sex Marriage) Act, and the date couples already in civil partnerships can convert.

Speaking to PinkNews, Gloria De Piero said:

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Nick Clegg: I am very pleased at the civil partnerships conversion announcement

Nick Clegg said he was “very pleased” at the announcement 0 reader comments

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has expressed his joy at the announcement that gay couples in civil partnerships will in December be able to convert to marriage.

Minister for Equalities Sajid Javid earlier today announced that couples already in civil partnerships will be able to convert to marriage by attending a register office from 10 December 2014.

Tweeting this afternoon, Mr Clegg celebrated the news, saying: “Great news. From December 10th, couples in civil partnerships will have the #FreedomTo convert their relationship into marriage. V pleased.”

Great news. From December 10th, couples in civil partnerships will have the #FreedomTo convert their relationship into marriage. V pleased.

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