His ratification would allow the first gay marriage ceremonies to take place in April, a month before Pope Benedict XVI is due on an official visit to Portugal.

Right-of-centre parties opposed the change and sought a national referendum on the issue, but their proposal was rejected and the government's bill was passed by 125 votes to 99. Gay rights campaigners applauded from the galleries, hugged and kissed outside the building and ate wedding cake.

"This law rights a wrong," the prime minister, Jose Socrates, said in a speech to politicians, adding that it "simply ends pointless suffering". Socrates said the measure was part of his effort to modernise Portugal, where homosexuality was a crime until 1982. Two years ago his government lifted Portugal's ban on abortion, despite church opposition.

Gay marriage is currently permitted in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway. Canada, South Africa and six US states also permit it.

The bill removes a reference in the current law to marriage being between two people of different sexes.

"It's a slight change to the law, it's true," said Socrates. "But it is a very important and symbolic step towards fully ensuring respect for values that are essential in any democratic, open and tolerant society: the values of freedom, equality and non-discrimination."

Like neighbouring Spain, which introduced same-sex marriages four years ago, Portugal is an overwhelmingly Roman Catholic country and previous efforts to introduce gay marriage ran into strong resistance from religious groups and conservative politicians.

Paulo Corte-Real, head of a lobby group called Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual Intervention, said Portugal had become a pioneering country in gay rights. "This is a historic moment. We just hope [the bill] gets ratified quickly," he said.

Socrates said a referendum was not necessary because the gay marriage proposal was included in the Socialist party's manifesto in last September's general election, when it was returned to power. In 2001, a law allowed "civil unions" between same-sex couples which granted them certain legal, tax and property rights. However, it did not allow couples to take their partner's name, or inherit their possessions or their state pension, which is permitted in marriages.

A proposal from the Left Bloc and Green party allowing gay couples to adopt children was voted down today. Gay campaigners said they would continue to fight for gay couples' parental rights.

The main opposition Social Democratic party proposed granting non-married cohabiting couples of the same sex more rights, as in France, but its bill was also rejected.

Associated Press (Guardian.co.uk) - 8 January 2010.

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