Portugal legalises same-sex marriage

Written by Nate Micó | 19 May 2010

Portugal has become the sixth European country to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Portugal's President, Anibal Cavaco Silva - a practising Roman Catholic - said he put "personal convictions aside" when deciding to approve the legislation allowing same-sex couples to wed on Monday.

The move follows Pope Benedict XVI's recent plea to Portugal not to move ahead with the new legislation, criticising gay marriage and abortion as "insidious and dangerous threats to the common good".

The legalisation of gay marriage follows in the footsteps of other European countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway.

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