Spain Legalizes Same Sex Marriage

Parliament Also OKs Gay Adoptions, Inheritance Of Spouse Property

(AP)  After the final tally was announced, activists watching from the spectator section of the ornate chamber cried and cheered, waving to lawmakers and blowing them kisses.

Several members of the conservative opposition Popular Party, which vehemently opposed the bill, shouted: "This is a disgrace."

Outside the stately 19th-century chamber, activists waved the rainbow flags symbolizing the international gay rights movement.

"It is a historic day for the world's homosexuals. We have been fighting for many years," said Beatriz Gimeno, a longtime leader of the gay rights movement in Spain. "Now comes the hardest part, which is changing society's mentality."

Oscar-winning Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar, who is gay, said 21st-century families are different and don't have to reflect the traditional Catholic model.

"I don't like marriage. I am not going to get married. But it is important for this to be called marriage so people know that it is the same thing for everyone," he added.

Zapatero lacks a majority in the chamber but got more than enough help from small regional-based parties that tend to be his allies.

Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy said Zapatero has deeply divided Spain and should have sought a consensus in parliament that recognized same-sex unions but didn't call them marriages. Rajoy said that if the vast majority of countries don't accept gay marriage, including some run by Socialists, there must be a reason.

"I think the prime minister has committed a grave act of irresponsibility," Rajoy said. He said his party is considering challenging the law before the Constitutional Court, Spain's highest tribunal.

The gay marriage bill was the boldest and most divisive initiative of the liberal social agenda Zapatero has embarked on since taking office in April 2004.

Under the divorce law reform, couples can end their marriage without a mandatory separation period or having to state a reason, as required under the old legislation. Zapatero has also pushed through legislation allowing stem-cell research and wants to loosen Spain's restrictive abortion law.

The Roman Catholic Church, which held much sway over the government just a generation ago when Gen. Francisco Franco was in power, adamantly opposed gay marriage.

In its first display of anti-government activism in 20 years, it endorsed a June 18 rally in which hundreds of thousands of people marched through Madrid in opposition to the bill. Some 20 bishops took part.

Still, polls suggest Spaniards support gay marriage. A survey released in May by pollster Instituto Opina said 62 percent of Spaniards support the government's action on gay marriage, and 30 percent oppose it. The poll had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

But surveys also show Spaniards about evenly split over whether gay couples should be allowed to adopt children.