Draghi, at the Vatican's request to modify its future law against homophobia: "Italy is a secular, non-denominational state"
The pressure of the Vatican for the modification of a bill against homophobia in Italy, already approved in the Chamber of Deputies and awaiting a vote soon in the Senate, it has caused evident tensions between both countries and also in Italy. The Italian Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, was blunt this past week when remembering the Santa Thirst which Italy is a "Secular, non-denominational state"In which the Parliament is "always free to debate". Draghi He even cited a sentence from the Constitutional Court 1989 which ensures that “secularism is not the indifference of the State with respect to the religious phenomenon, but rather the protection of pluralism and cultural diversity".
Draghi ended up remembering that «Italy signed a joint declaration with 16 other European countries expressing concern about the articles of law in Hungary that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation«.
Vatican interference
The request of the Vatican, formulated by means of a «verbal note»Presented by the Secretary for Relations with States, Paul Richard Gallagher, last Thursday at the Italian Embassy before the Santa Thirst, is an unprecedented event in the history of relations between Italy and Vatican, which until now had never intervened during the process for the approval of an Italian law.
Among the issues criticized by the Vatican It appears that private Catholic schools would not be exempt from organizing activities during the future National Day Against Homophobia, but also fear for the «freedom of thought»Of Catholics and the possible legal consequences. «We ask that our concerns be taken into account«, Writes the Santa Thirst al Italian government.
The promoter of the law, the progressive deputy Alessandro zan, has been surprised this Wednesday by «Vatican interference" at Italian Parliament and recalled that "it is" a law that the country has been waiting for more than 30 years "and that if the text is changed there is a risk of" reaching a dead end. "
The project that bears his name and that may become the first law against homophobia in Italy was approved by the Chamber of Deputies last November, with 265 votes in favor and 193 against, but has remained stagnant since then in the Senate by the fierce opposition of the right and the extreme right.
