Spanish parliament legalizes gay marriage

The bill, which became law immediately, says: "Matrimony shall have the same requirements and effects regardless of whether the persons involved are of the same or different sex."

Gay couples can get married as soon as the law is published in the official government registry — as early as Friday or within two weeks at the latest, parliament's press office said.

The Netherlands and Belgium are the only other two countries that recognize gay marriage nationwide. The Netherlands lets gays adopt children. Belgium is considering the adoption issue.

Canada's House of Commons passed legislation Tuesday that would legalize gay marriage by the end of July as long as the Senate also passes the bill, which it is expected to do.

In the United States, Massachusetts is the only state to recognize gay marriage. Vermont and Connecticut have approved same-sex civil unions.

In debate before the vote, Zapatero said the dry language of the Spanish reform masks "an immense change in the lives of thousands of citizens. We are not legislating, ladies and gentlemen, for remote, unknown people. We are expanding opportunities for the happiness of our neighbors, our work colleagues, our friends, our relatives."

Zapatero lacks a majority in the chamber but got more than enough help from small regional-based parties that tend to be his allies.

Country divided
Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy said Zapatero has deeply divided Spain and should have sought a consensus in parliament that recognized same-sex unions but didn't call them marriages. Rajoy said if the vast majority of countries don't accept gay marriage, there must be a reason.

"I think the prime minister has committed a grave act of irresponsibility," Rajoy said, adding that his party is considering challenging the law before the Constitutional Court, Spain's highest tribunal.

The gay marriage bill was the boldest and most divisive initiative of the liberal social agenda Zapatero has embarked on since taking office in April 2004.

Under the divorce law reform, couples can end their marriage without a mandatory separation period or having to state a reason for the split-up, as required under the old legislation. Zapatero also pushed through legislation allowing stem-cell research and wants to loosen Spain's restrictive abortion law.

In its first display of anti-government activism in 20 years, the Catholic Church endorsed a June 18 rally in which hundreds of thousands of people marched through Madrid to oppose the same-sex marriage bill.

Still, polls suggest Spaniards support gay marriage. A May survey by pollster Instituto Opina said 62 percent of Spaniards support the government's action on gay marriage, and 30 percent oppose it. But surveys also show Spaniards about evenly split over whether gay couples should be allowed to adopt children.

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