Milan. Civil unions, postponed until September. "More rights for those who face discrimination."“

by ORIANA LISO
A tool that will help the City Council "avoid the risk of discrimination." It will grant administrative—but not yet legal—status to heterosexual and homosexual de facto couples, with the practical benefit of accessing public transportation, municipal sports facilities, childcare rankings, and social housing benefits with fewer bureaucratic hassles (while still complying with laws and waiting lists). The purpose and procedures for the Palazzo Marino civil union registry are becoming clearer every day: but its arrival in the City Council, in the form of a resolution, seems increasingly destined to be postponed until September, when the holidays are over and there is no risk of too many defections from the benches.
Yesterday, the second session of the joint commission for equal opportunities and institutional affairs should have approved the text of the resolution: three articles, inspired by the register of de facto couples already in force in Turin, "which does not go into too much detail about what is permitted or not, because a city council cannot replace
"Yes to the legislator," explains Marilisa D'Amico, Democratic Party councilor and commission president. But the continued requests for clarification from the opposition—Lega, PDL, and Milan Center—have led to the decision to hold a third in-depth session. "There is a lack of clarity in the regulation, there is a risk of discriminating against the traditional family," reiterated PDL group leader Carlo Masseroli, even though his party's positions
There are various differences between Catholics and liberals. The League, led by councilor Luca Lepore, seems determined to wage war with amendments, precisely using the argument of the risk of conflict with Parliament. The majority—despite the opposition of two Catholic councilors from the Democratic Party—would like to reach the floor as soon as possible. "It will be a tool that takes nothing away from the traditional family, but rather people bound by emotional ties."
"They will be able to have greater mutual protection, especially same-sex couples for whom there is no other option," explains Patrizia Quartieri, leader of the Sel group. This is precisely the concreteness that the Milanese president of Arcigay Marco Mori is asking for: "Once the register is completed, concrete administrative measures should be identified in various areas: then, yes, registering will be an advantage.".