Portugal May Go For Marriage Equality

Portugal's prime minister Jose Socrates says that if his Socialist Party wins the election later this year, he intends to legislate for marriage equality. However Socrates will face fierce opposition from the Catholic Church.

The leaders of the Catholic Church in Portugal have been accused of interfering in the political process after the country's bishops said they would fight proposals to introduce gay marriage. After a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference in Fatima, a Church spokesman said: "At the time of voting, Christians will certainly draw their conclusions. Those who involve themselves in these ventures in which the society is exposed to profound wounds, are not trustworthy." He added that Portugese society is "threatened" by same-sex marriage. After accusations that the Church was targeting the Socialists, it said that the bishops merely wished to "educate" the electorate.

Portugal's general election takes place in September. It was Spain's Socialist Party who brought marriage equality to that country in 2005.