Human Rights Court: Italy Fails Gays

The European Court of Human Rights condemned Italy on Monday for its lack of recognition of gay partnerships. The predominantly Catholic country is the only Western European nation without any type of formal recognition for same-sex relationships. “The court considered that the legal protection currently available in Italy to same-sex couples... not only failed to provide for the core needs relevant to a couple in a stable committed relationship, but it was also not sufficiently reliable,” according to the ruling. The court urged Italy to provide such recognition, and ordered it to pay damages and compensation to the case’s plaintiffs.