Berlusconi slams unmarried couples Bill

Italian opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi assailed a Bill to grant legal rights to gay and unmarried couples, saying in an interview published yesterday it would damage the institution of the family.

Mr Berlusconi told the Rome daily Il Messaggero the proposal by Romano Prodi's government, which stops far short of allowing gays to marry, would change little in practice but "has a big symbolic value".

"It creates exactly what we didn't want, a sort of 'second division' marriage which devalues the meaning of family," the billionaire politician said. "And it's certainly a preface to allowing same-sex couples to adopt."

Prof. Prodi's Cabinet adopted the Bill last week at a meeting boycotted by Justice Minister Clemente Mastella, a devout Roman Catholic who has predicted it will be blocked in Parliament.

The law, a central manifesto promise at last year's election when Prof. Prodi narrowly defeated Mr Berlusconi, would grant rights in areas such as property, inheritance and employment to couples who register as co-habiting, regardless of their sex.

Gay campaigners are unsatisfied with the Bill and hope to beef it up in Parliament. But the Vatican opposes laws that recognise "de facto" couples and Pope Benedict has asked lawmakers around the world to block measures of this type.

Mr Mastella said Italy's parliament would do just that. "You don't need a fortune-teller to guess (what will happen)."

Prof. Prodi has a majority of just one seat in the upper house and, as Mr Mastella will vote against, the government will need the support of some opposition senators or the seven honorary senators-for-life, something Mr Mastella said would not happen.