Spain Becomes the Third European Country to Legalize Gay Marriage

In a move that defied conservatives and opposing clergy, Spain’s Parliament legalized gay marriage Thursday, becoming the third European country to allow same-sex unions nationwide. The Netherlands and Belgium are the other two countries that have made gay marriage legal. The measure passed by a vote of 187 to 147 in the 350-seat Congress of Deputies. The bill also goes further, allowing gay couples to adopt children and inherit each other’s property, just like heterosexual couples. It was part of the aggressive agenda for social reform pursued by the ruling Socialist party. Gay couples can be married as soon as the law is officially published, which could come as early as Friday.

Although the Senate rejected the bill last week, their role in the government is only an advisory one, and the final ruling on proposed legislation rests with the Congress of Deputies. Since the majority of Senate seats are held by conservatives, they were not expected to pass the bill, but the Congress ignored their advice and made the bill into law. Opponents have said the will consider challenging the new law in the Constitutional Court, Spain’s equivalent to the U.S. Supreme Court. Gay and lesbian activists watched intently from the spectator section of the Parliament chamber, and when the tally of the vote was announced they cheered and hugged each other, crying and blowing kisses to lawmakers. Several members of the Popular Party, the conservative party that was vehemently opposed to the bill, shouted, "This is a disgrace!" Other lawmakers who had voted in favor of the bill stood up and clapped upon hearing that it had passed.

Spain has long been heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic Church, and the Spanish Bishops Conference immediately criticized the new law and urged town hall officials to resist it by refusing to preside at ceremonies honoring civil unions. Another bill also passed Thursday will make it easier for Spaniards to obtain a divorce. The new law overhauls Spain’s 25-year old laws about divorce by letting couples end their marriage without having to state a reason, and without having to be separated for any length of time. As a result of the new rulings, The Bishops Conference made a statement that the new laws make it clear that "marriage, understood as the union of a man and a woman, is no longer provided for in our laws." Antonio Martinez Camino, a spokesman for the group, said last year that allowing gay marriage was like "imposing a virus on society—something false that will have negative consequences for social life."

Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy said after the vote that Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has caused the country to become deeply divided with his social reform agenda. He said that a preferable option would have been for Parliament to recognize same-sex unions without calling them marriage. Rajoy added that if the vast majority of countries around the world have not legalized gay marriages, then there must be a reason. "I think the prime minister has committed a grave act of irresponsibility," Rajoy told reporters. Indeed, the gay marriage bill was the most divisive initiative proposed by the liberal agenda Zapatero’s embarked on after taking office last April. Zapatero vigorously defended his decision to pursue legalizing gay marriages, telling the chamber, "We were not the first, but I am sure we will not be the last. After us will come many other countries, driven, ladies and gentlemen, by two unstoppable forces: freedom and equality." Zapatero added that although the reform adds only one paragraph to the law books, it means much more to the citizens of Spain, saying that this is "a small change in wording that means an immense change in the lives of thousands of citizens. We are not legislating, ladies and gentlemen, for remote unknown people. We are expanding opportunities for the happiness of our neighbors, our work colleagues, our friends, our relatives."

Despite the strong opposition and protests against the new law, polls suggest that most of the population of Spain will have no problem with the new legislation. A survey released in May showed that 62% of Spaniards were in support of the government legalizing gay marriage, and only 30% oppose it.