Spain's Parliament approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, making it only the second nation to provide full legal equality for same-sex and heterosexual unions. This places Spain among a small number of countries that have adopted such comprehensive legislation.
The bill passed with a vote of 187 to 147, granting same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples, including marriage and adoption. Prime Minister José Luis RodrÃguez Zapatero highlighted the importance of the bill as a recognition of dignity and rights for the LGBTQ+ community.
While several countries had legalized same-sex marriage, Spain's law was noted for its comprehensiveness, similar in scope to Canada's.
The Spanish measure simply amended existing law to include same-sex couples under the definition of marriage, a contrast to laws in other countries that created separate categories of rights for same-sex couples, potentially leading to unequal treatment in adoption or other areas.