The lawmakers supported paternity rights, including adoption by same-sex couples. Since 2015, Chile has implemented a Civil Union agreement that granted several rights to same-sex couples.
On Tuesday, July 20, the Chilean Senate approved a bill on marriage equality, which can now pass to the Chamber of Deputies and the constitutional process of its adoption into law may advance. The bill is a landmark project in the predominantly Catholic conservative country.
According to a statement by the National Congress, the “the Senate approved by 28 votes in favor, 14 against and 0 abstentions the norms that regulate the project of marriage equality.”
La primera votación tuvo un resultado de 28 votos a favor y 14 en contra, mientras que la segunda fue de 29 votos a favor y 14 en contra.
Ahora el proyecto pasa a segundo trámite constitucional a la @Camara_cl de Diputadas y Diputados. pic.twitter.com/9KSa0YmIwC
— Senado Chile (@Senado_Chile) July 21, 2021
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The lawmakers also supported paternity rights, including adoption by same-sex couples. Since 2015 Chile has implemented a Civil Union agreement that granted several rights to same-sex couples but not the right to adoption.
TRIUNFA LA JUSTICIA Y LA IGUALDAD: el Senado, tras cuatro años de trámite, aprueba y despacha por fin el #MatrimonioIgualitario. Se acerca el fin de la discriminación a las parejas del mismo sexo y a las familias homoparentales. Un mejor camino para las nuevas generaciones ❤️ pic.twitter.com/dbX5z05OPo
— Movilh Chile (@Movilh) July 21, 2021
The marriage equality bill was first submitted during the second term of former president Michelle Bachelet (2014-2018), but it had not been prioritized.
In early June this year, President Sebastián Piñera had announced that he would give the bill ”urgency” in order to achieve its approval as a bill before his term ends, and justified his decision by pointing to ”life, knowing many people, knowing many cases.”
Featured image: The marriage equality bill, approved by the Chilean senate, is a landmark project in the largely Catholic conservative country. Photo: Twitter / @CottoneSoledad
(Telesur English) with Orinoco Tribune content