This week Portugal’s President Anibal Cavaco Silva made the announcement that he is ratifying the country’s law, permitting gay marriage. This would make Portugal the sixth European country to allow same-sex marriage.

 After political parties failed to reach an agreement on the issue, President Cavaco Silva decided that Portugal needed to shift focus to the economic crises and rising unemployment. His decision overturns the previous stipulation that marriage is between two people of different sexes.  

 ”Given that fact, I feel I should not contribute to a pointless extension of this debate, which would only serve to deepen the divisions between the Portuguese and divert the attention of politicians away from the grave problems affecting us,” Cavaco Silva said.

 Portugal lifted a law prohibiting same-sex relations in the 1980s and allowed civil unions in 2001. The President’s ratification would build on same-sex couples’ rights to include the ability to take each other’s last names and inherit processions and state pensions. Gay and lesbian rights advocates will continue to work for same-sex couple parental rights including adoption.