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Spanish gays line up to marry
05/07/2005 13:12 - (SA)
Madrid - Dozens of gay couples are preparing to marry in Spain, which became the third country after the Netherlands and Belgium to legalise homosexual marriage last week, say reports on Tuesday.
More than 50 couples came to seek information about the necessary documents in Madrid and Barcelona on Monday after the law entered into force on Sunday.
Some couples already presented the documents at civil register offices. Jose, who has lived with his partner for 20 years, said: "We are so happy, as history had never granted us any rights."
Canada was also preparing to legalise homosexual marriage shortly.
Gay marriages 'unconstitutional'
Estimates of the numbers of upcoming Spanish gay marriages ranged from 1 400 to 15 000 annually. Other studies put the number of homosexuals at 6 to 10% of the almost 43 million population.
The first weddings were expected in July.
Controversy about the law nevertheless continued, with Bishops' conference chairman Ricardo Blazquez describing it as unconstitutional.
The opposition conservative Popular Party (PP) had said it might appeal against the law pushed through by the Socialist government at the Constitutional Court.
During a visit to the Vatican on Monday, Spanish Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela said homosexual marriage was "against human reason".
Pope Benedict XVI, however, did not make an explicit reference to the law passed in Spain, only calling on the church to bring its message to all.
- SAPA
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