The US senate today rejected a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage which had the backing of President George Bush.
The motion gained the votes of only 49 senators, which is 11 short of the 60 votes needed to take the measure forward. Republican leaders have vowed to take it up in the House of Representatives later this year.
Mr Bush and his supporters had argued that the constitution should be amended to prevent judges from overturning existing state bans on gay marriage.
But Democrats said the vote was an attempt to win back disillusioned Republican voters ahead of congressional elections in November and divert attention from issues such as Iraq that reflect badly on the government.
The Democratic senator Edward Kennedy, of Massachusetts, which legalised gay marriage in 2003, said: "The Republican leadership is asking us to spend time writing bigotry into the constitution".
"It is a cynical attempt to score political points by overriding state courts and intruding into individuals' private lives."
Republicans have said the House of Representatives will take up the amendment next month, even though they don't expect it to get the two-thirds majority a constitutional amendment needs to be passed.
Forty-five states have passed laws or amended their constitutions to prevent same-sex marriage. Several of the bans have been struck down by state judges and court challenges are pending in nine states.
The defeat came despite daily appeals from Mr Bush for it to pass. He has argued that marriage between a man and a woman is the most fundamental institution of civilisation and needs protection from "activist judges".
He has said an amendment would ensure that no court could undermine what he believed were the views of the American people.
Since 2004, about 8,000 gay couples have married in Massachusetts, the only state to fully recognise same-sex marriages.
Six other states and the District of Columbia offer same-sex couples some level of legal protection.
The Democratic senator Edward Kennedy, of Massachusetts, which legalised gay marriage in 2003, said: "The Republican leadership is asking us to spend time writing bigotry into the constitution".
"It is a cynical attempt to score political points by overriding state courts and intruding into individuals' private lives."
Republicans have said the House of Representatives will take up the amendment next month, even though they don't expect it to get the two-thirds majority a constitutional amendment needs to be passed.
Forty-five states have passed laws or amended their constitutions to prevent same-sex marriage. Several of the bans have been struck down by state judges and court challenges are pending in nine states.
The defeat came despite daily appeals from Mr Bush for it to pass. He has argued that marriage between a man and a woman is the most fundamental institution of civilisation and needs protection from "activist judges".
He has said an amendment would ensure that no court could undermine what he believed were the views of the American people.
Since 2004, about 8,000 gay couples have married in Massachusetts, the only state to fully recognise same-sex marriages.
Six other states and the District of Columbia offer same-sex couples some level of legal protection.
(Αναδημοσίευση από τη βρετανική εφημερίδα THE GUARDIAN 7-6-2006)
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