Renzi government wins civil unions confidence vote

The government today won a confidence vote on a bill for same-sex civil unions by 369 votes to 193 with two abstentions.

Until Wednesday's vote Italy had been the last major Western democracy not to legally recognise gay partnerships.

The issue has been highly controversial in Italy, amid staunch opposition from Catholic conservatives.

Ahead of the vote, prime minister Matteo Renzi wrote on Facebook that "today is a day of celebration for so many".

Final approval of civil unions is expected later on Wednesday, but that vote by MPs is seen as a formality, as the confidence vote was the crucial hurdle.

After many delays the civil unions bill was watered down in order to secure the necessary support. A clause that would have enabled gay people to adopt their partner's children was dropped.

But it does grant committed gay couples some of the same legal protections currently enjoyed by heterosexual married couples, such as the right to receive a deceased partner's pension.