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Italy: Rome Administrative Court denies appeal to suspend invalidation of same-sex marriages

Nov 04 2014
Written by Aaron Day

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a white background.

The Lazio Regional Administrative Court in Rome has denied a plea by several gay couples to suspend the invalidation of their overseas marriages.

Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino opted to challenge enforcement of the law this month, by recognising the marriages of 16 same-sex couples who had already wed as far afield as Spain, Portugal and the United States.

Rome Prefect Giuseppe Pecoraro had recently “invited” the mayor to void the marriages, but Mr Marino said he would not do so.

The appeal was filed by the mayor’s office on the conscience that “the prefect’s act was…marred by incompetence and excess of power…as well as blatantly null, illegitimate, and erroneous.”

However, the appeal, which was preceded by a cautionary petition, was shot down in the Administrative Court on Tuesday, ANSA reports.

According to reports, Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio contacted his fellow mayor to praise his “strong and courageous stance”, adding: “Keep going my friend, keep fighting the good fight”.