Catholic World News News Feature

New Italian government would not require allies to support civil-union bill February 23, 2007

Romano Prodi-- struggling to forge a new ruling coalition in the Italian parliament after a key foreign-policy loss prompted his resignation as prime minister-- has drafted an agreement that will not require his coalition allies to support civil unions.

Prodi has asked potential cabinet partners to accept a list of 12 principles, on which a new government would be based. The list does not include the proposal for legal recognition of same-sex unions, which had been a divisive issue for his previous coalition.

The 12-point agreement seemed likely to draw enough support to return Prodi to the parliamentary leadership post. Foreign minister Massimo D’Alema, a Prodi ally, told reporters that the coalition “can continue on this basis.”

Justice minister Clemente Mastella, a member of the coalition and leader of the UDEUR party, also expressed confidence that the new government could be formed. “I’m sure we have the numbers,” he said. Mastella and his UDEUR colleagues had broken with Prodi by refusing to support the civil-union proposal.

Although his government had thrown its full support behind the civil-union legislation, Prodi had not pressed his coalition partners for support on the issue, allowing a free vote on the proposal. While the legislation was approved by the lower house of parliament, its future appeared uncertain in the Senate.