Portugal’s Parliament overturns president’s gay adoption veto

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Portugal parliament overturns president gay adoption veto

Outgoing President Cavaco Silva

An attempt to stall same-sex couple adoption by Portugal’s outgoing president has been thwarted by the country’s parliament.

On Wednesday, a majority of lawmakers voted (137 votes to 73) to overturn President Cavaco Silva’s veto of a bill allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt children jointly.

The legislation was approved by parliament in November but the president blocked the law last month and sent it back to the legislature, arguing that it had not been proved that same-sex adoption is in “the child’s best interest”.

Thanks to the latest vote, Silva will now be forced under the constitution to sign the legislation into law within eight days before his term of office ends next month.

Gays and lesbian Portuguese individuals could previously adopt children but not jointly as couples.

In 2010, Portugal became the sixth European nation to legalise same-sex marriage.

 

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