Italy: Interior Minister blocks recognition of overseas same-sex marriages
Italy’s Interior Minister has blocked the recognition of same-sex marriages, saying they cannot be recognised by the country, as gay couples are not allowed to marry there.
The city of Bologna began recognising overseas same-sex marriages last month.
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano on Tuesday spoke with RTL radio station to say foreign same-sex marriages are not recognised under Italian law.
He said: “In Italy, same-sex marriage isn’t possible, so if people of the same sex get married, those marriages can’t be transcribed into the Italian State civil registries, for the simple fact that the law doesn’t allow it.”
Alfano went on to say that marriages between same-sex couples entered into abroad, and which have already been entered into registers by civil authorities must be cancelled and removed.
If cities such as Bologna, which have already registered the marriages do not remove them from registries, the government will step in to annul them, he added.
