LISBON, Portugal (AP) – Portugal’s Parliament has approved laws allowing same-sex couples to legally adopt children and permitting lesbians to obtain medically assisted fertilization.
Left-of-center parties used their outright parliamentary majority to ensure the bills passed Nov. 20. The Socialist Party, Communist Party and Left Bloc had promised those measures during their campaigns for last month’s general election.
Parliament in 2013 approved a law allowing gay married couples to adopt their partners’ children but rejected legislation granting gay couples the same adoption rights as heterosexuals.
Reversing legislation enacted by the outgoing center-right government, Parliament also removed hospital charges for voluntary abortions through the 10th week of pregnancy and waived mandatory counselling before the procedure is carried out.
The speaker of Parliament announced that the laws had passed, though detailed voting figures were not immediately available.
