The governing Socialist Party will block an attempt by
smaller parties to pass legislation allowing same-sex
marriages in Portugal, a senior official says.
Socialist parliamentary leader Alberto Martins said his
party's lawmakers will be instructed to vote down the
proposal.
"An overwhelming majority (of Socialist lawmakers) support
the party line," Martins said after a meeting of party
officials.
The main opposition Social Democratic Party also opposes
legalizing gay and lesbian marriages.
The Left Bloc and Green Party have said they will table a
proposal later this month to allow same-sex couples to wed,
but together the two parties hold just 10 seats in the
230-seat Parliament.
The Socialists have 121 seats and the Social Democrats have
75.
Gay marriage is permitted in only three European Union
nations -- Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain.
The Left Bloc and Green Party argue that the Portuguese
Constitution grants equal rights for all and protection
against discrimination.
The center-left Socialist Party overcame strong opposition
from the Roman Catholic church to legalize abortion last
year, saying it was part of the Portugal's process of
modernisation.
Some Socialist lawmakers have expressed support for the
legalisation of same-sex marriages.
However Prime Minister Jose Socrates, who is also party
leader, says the measure was not part of the Socialist
manifesto in the 2005 general election and requires
endorsement in a national vote.
Same-sex couples who live together for a certain length of
time are currently entitled to the same tax and welfare
benefits as heterosexual couples.
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