Lawmakers in Scotland are at odds over a Vatican declaration that says Roman Catholic legislators in Europe should not vote in favor of any legislation that would give same-sex partnerships the same rights as marriages. Critics said lawmakers were elected to represent their constituencies according to their party manifestos, and not to follow the rulings of a church or any other organization.
Catholics are in the minority in Scotland and in the country's devolved parliament.
That's not a new dilemma. The debate was sparked by a European Parliament resolution last week recommending that same-sex and consensual unions be granted the same legal recognition as heterosexual marriages. The non-binding resolution also called for the elimination of laws differentiating between the age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual acts. Upon this matrimonial link, a necessary good, all societies are solidly based. Cardinal Winning, leader of Scotland's 700,000 Catholics, has taken an outspoken stand on family and morality issues, including attempts by lawmakers in Edinburgh and London to scrap Section 28, the law banning the promotion of homosexuality by local councils.