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Forms of legal recognition

Malta Gay Rights Movement coordinator Gabi Calleja and position paper author, Neil Falzon. Photo: Jason Borg

Malta Gay Rights Movement coordinator Gabi Calleja and position paper author, Neil Falzon. Photo: Jason Borg

There are three forms of legal recognition for gay couples that include: marriage equality, registered partnerships and cohabitation.

About 33 per cent of EU member states recognise some form of registered or civil partnership, 26 per cent grant basic cohabitation rights, 13 per cent recognise full marriage equality and 28 per cent have no form of legal recognition. Malta falls under the last category together with Italy, Greece and Turkey, among others.

Marriage equality is the highest form of recognition but is still the least popular in Europe where only seven countries (Belgium, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden) allow it. Registered partnerships are widely adopted in Europe. They are allowed in the UK, Ireland, France and Germany, among others. This type of partnership recognises the kind of relationship between the couple and grants them various grades of rights depending on the jurisdiction in the part­icular country.

Rights can include inheritance and property entitlement. However, this partnership falls short of the full package that comes with marriage. Cohabitation is at the lower end of the scale. Although it recognises that the couple live together, as do siblings, it does not recognise their relationship.

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Robert Callus

Jan 16th, 19:39

"Ovjament it tfal ha jigu nfluwenzati u ha jittelghu bhalkom"

1) That is based on your assumption not scientific basis. In fact you're wrong. That is why minority rights should never be put to referendums. People tend not to vote on what is right but whatever stupid assumption or urban legend their mind comes up with.

2) Children brought up by a group of priests or nuns (the ones who usually get adopted, no one snatches children from happy families to give them for adoption) do not become priests and nuns do they?

Yaz Tabone

Jan 16th, 20:05

poor chap.. i do honestly feel sorry for you and any kids you may have!

how can you say that gay parents will make children gay? then how do you explain where gay people come from? straight parents!

of course they should be able to adopt. there is no reason why they shouldn't be!

Roberto ANGELONE

Jan 16th, 22:22

Sur Mangion, Fejn hemm l-imhabba, ir-rispett, u diga hemm ideja ta tolleranza u mohh miftuh ma narax problema li jitrabbew tfal li forsi jekk ma jkollomx dan ic-cans li jkollom genituri jista jkun li jiccapsu ma xi qasis diga frustrat fil migja tijew li tmur hafna izjed konta il-kontinwita` naturali tal hajja...jidirli li l-istatistici fuq l-abbuz tat-tfal jitkellem ferm sew fuq fejn l-ahjar kieku jinstabu tfal li huma diga orfni jew li il genuturi naturali taghhom ma jistawx jiehdu hsiebom ghal raguni jew ohra...jien jekk ma naqbilx ma xi haga ma ninponix l-opijoni tieghi fuq hadd iehor bit ton li uzajt inti ghax b'hekk inkun qed nuri li lest li nillimita il-kwalita tal hajja ta` hadd iehor...ipprova ohrog mill kaxxa daqxejn izjed...issoltu meta wiehed jghamel hekk jibda jara l-affarijeit daqxjen aktar cari...ghax hawnekk f'lahhar mill-l-ahhar qed nitkelmu fuq affarijiet ovvji u ghandna bzonn nistaqsu jekk verament fimna jew ftakarna xinuwa il- qofol ta dan l-argument kollu...jien m'ghandix problema jekk tifel jew tifla tkun kuntent jew kuntenta...u mux ser noqod nara kif ser noqod nillimita dik il haga b'lebda mod!!! Nispera li b'xi mod jirnexxilek tara dak li qed nipprova nghidlek, minajr prejudizzju :o)

Mr Clayton Mangion

Jan 17th, 01:32

1) So according to you analyses or whatever . Nature is wrong ?
2)Children given for adoption are kept with hundred`s of other children and nuns and priests differ from same sex couple .

Mr Clayton Mangion

Jan 17th, 01:38

@Yaz Tabone
Im not against gays/lesbians . But its not fair for a child to be adopted in the same environment that is . And yes I totally agree with your judgment that gay people come from straight families . But better yet everyone has his own opinion and I highly doubt that if there is a referendum this law wont be passed by a large majority !

Ms O. ShamRock

Jan 17th, 11:23

Mr.Clayton Mangion, I couldn`t keep my fingers from writing this. It is too tempting.

First of all I totally agree with Robert Callus, how can you ever predict the child`s sexual orientation? I know a boy who was brought up with a trans [his aunt] and nowadays he is a 7foot security who is almost getting married [ of course to a woman as not every love is recognised in Malta, as if gay people had no heart! ].

Second : You are right on only one thing from all the poison you have thrown, yes the law wont be amended thanks to a referendum, and why? because as Robert Callus said people vote for themselves they do not think about the best of all, having a "utopia", even if it wont effect them directly. The majority of the people declare that they are straight and unless they have a courageous person in their family not giving a Sugar Honey Ice Tea about what other people think and show them directly what kind of burdens and daily discriminations he goes through, well NO, the referendum wont conclude in a fair one.

Third : Do you really think gay people are not part of nature? They`re made up of cells, they grow and if they want they can reproduce, I believe that makes 3 out of the 7 functional things a living organism does. Please inform yourself before you make a statement of that measurment.

Fourth : I believe that the children living with children in an orphanage is not a really good excuse. Think well. What makes you think that gay couples will close their children in a room to have no contact with others? Children have cousins, peers and many other people to socialise with. I`ve been a lone child for 8 years before my sis was born and people tell me that I am a pro at socialising. The only difference that there might be is having a child trying out thing eralier than other peers but that wont condition his HORMONES for sure. This dad-mom stereotype is just a cover for people who are disgusted by anything which is different from them.

Learn one thing and you will live happier throughout your days with yourself and others. Life is beautiful because it is DIVERSE.

Colette Farrugia Bennett

Jan 17th, 19:24

Mr Mangion ...it is of utter disgust that you blatantly disrespect someone with your reference to Gabi as Mr/Mrs...I'm hoping that it was only a question of limited typing skills!!

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