Portuguese Parliament Overrides Presidential Veto of Gay Adoption

In November, Portugal's parliament passed a bill extending adoption rights to same-sex couples, only to see the the piece of legislation vetoed by the outgoing conservative president, Anibal Cavaco Silva. Last week, parliament successfully voted to override the presidential veto, giving Silva eight days to sign the bill into law.

In 2010, Portugal legalized marriage equality, although with the stipulation that same-sex couples not be allowed to adopt jointly. Despite widespread support for progressive LGBT rights and protections, President Silva claimed that he exercised his veto due to lack of public debate and consensus—a claim that has been roundly refuted.

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