Italy legalises gay unions

                                       
After decades of struggle by gay rights groups, and months of contested political negotiations, the Italian Parliament gave final approval to a law recognizing civil unions of same-sex couples.

The vote — 372 to 51, with 99 abstentions — was followed by long applause in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Parliament. At the Trevi Fountain in Rome, people with rainbow flags gathered to celebrate.It was a historic occasion for a nation that is still dominated by the Roman Catholic Church, which opposed the measure, and where traditional family norms are still strong. It was also a victory for Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who supported the bill.