Same-sex unions bill passes Italian lower assembly

Authorities in Rome had been facing calls to change their marriage laws, including from their constitutional court and the European Court of Human Rights. However, past reform proposals were blocked by the Vatican and conservative politicians.

"For many, today is a day for celebrations," Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi, wrote on Facebook just hours before members of the Chamber of Deputies in Rome approved the reform with a vast majority.

While a few hundred gay-rights activists celebrated in the streets, Maria Elena Boschi, parliamentary affairs minister, followed deliberations in the chamber wearing a rainbow pin on the lapel of her jacket.

In January, rally organisers claimed nationwide pro- and anti-reform rallies attracted more than one million people, yet Catholic groups which mobilised against the bill won no direct endorsement from Pope Francis.

"The pope does not meddle with Italian politics," Francis said in February on the way back from a trip to Mexico.

"Because the pope belongs to everybody, he cannot enter the concrete, domestic politics of a country. This is not the pope's role."

However, now that the law which had been under parliamentary consideration since June 2013 has been passed, and it will be several months before it is fully applied, as it needs to be signed by the Italian president and followed up by implementing decrees.

According to Arcigay, Italy's main gay-rights lobby group, the process will be completed in late July at the earliest, or in November at the latest. Only then, will Italian gay partnership start being officially recognised.