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| 支持同性婚姻的人士五日晚間在英國國會大廈外示威，呼籲國會通過同性婚姻合法化。（路透） |
〔編 譯管淑平／綜合報導〕英國國會下議院五日在保守黨議員強烈反對下，表決通過同性婚姻法案，朝二○一四年同性婚姻合法化邁進一步。不過，執政聯盟保守黨有過 半議員不挺同黨首相卡麥隆，投下反對票或棄權、未投票，令卡麥隆非常難堪，保守黨因此法案分裂，恐將衝擊下屆大選選情。
全球第12國合法同性婚
下 議院以四百票贊成、一百七十五票反對通過這項法案，此案仍待下議院一委員會完成法條審查及上議院表決通過，才會正式成為法律，屆時英國將成為全球第十二個 立法允許同性戀結婚的國家。這項法案允許英格蘭和威爾斯地區同性婚姻，宗教組織可依其意願是否主持同性婚禮，不受強迫，同性婚禮也不需在任何信仰的崇拜場 所舉行。
卡麥隆堅信，此法案「會讓我們的社會更健全」，「我相信國會議員投票支持同性戀也能結婚，是我國往前邁進一步。」執政聯盟自由民主黨黨魁克雷格稱讚表決結果是「平權里程碑」。
贊 成票主要來自執政聯盟自由民主黨以及反對黨工黨。卡麥隆允許黨內議員自由投票；在投票前長達六個多小時的激辯中，重量級閣員力促同黨議員支持，避免黨分 裂，但反對派顯然充耳不聞，保守黨三百零三名議員僅一百二十七人投贊成票，一百三十六人反對，剩下四十人不是投棄權票，就是未投票。
保守黨內 斥民粹主義祭品
卡 麥隆力推同性婚姻合法化，意在展現保守黨是觀念進步的政黨，但黨內保守派毫不領情，指責卡麥隆「傲慢」、「未獲民意授權推動如此重大社會和文化變革」、 「搞革命而非追求進展」的聲浪四起。黨內議員批評他把保守黨核心價值當做民粹主義的祭品，該法案毀壞家庭價值，堅認一男一女的結合才叫婚姻。英國聖公會及 新任坎特伯里大主教威爾比也強烈反對。保守黨議員傑克森說，「他的政治資本所剩不多了」。英國早在二○○五年開放同性戀者「民事結合」，但未允許法律正式 婚姻關係。
選民支持 但非最關切議題
泰晤士報十日公布 YouGov民調顯示，五十五％英國民眾贊成同性婚姻合法，三十六％反對，不過，民調也顯示，這不是選民最關心的議題。卡麥隆欲藉此展現保守黨是現代的政 黨，「但是此案引發的分裂……恐會釋放完全不同的訊息，即：保守黨分裂、與現實脫節、容易為一些大多數選民不太關心的議題爭吵。」
Gay marriage: Party leaders hail vote
The result of the vote on gay marriage was read out to a packed House of Commons
David
Cameron says he is proud the love of a same-sex couple will now "count
the same" as that of a heterosexual couple, despite almost half his MPs
voting against gay marriage.
MPs voted in favour of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill by 400 to 175, a majority of 225. But 136 Tory MPs opposed the bill.
Mr Cameron paid tribute, during PM's questions, to those who had campaigned for "many years" and the "moving" speeches made by MPs during the debate.
MPs were given a free vote on the bill, meaning they were not ordered to vote a particular way by party whips.
Their decision to back the bill at second reading signifies that they approve of it in principle. The legislation will now receive more detailed parliamentary scrutiny.
'Lords opposition' If it becomes law, the bill will enable same-sex couples, who are currently able to engage in civil partnerships, to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies - the latter only with the consent of religious institutions.
During Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron said: "Last night's vote will be seen not just as making sure there is a proper element of equality, but also helping us to build a stronger and fairer society.
"I thought many of the speeches made last night were very moving, very emotional and I would pay tribute to all those people who have actually made this case, some of them for very many years, saying they want their love to count the same way that a man and a woman's love for each other counts.
"That is what we have opened now in this country and that is why I'm proud it is this government that has brought it forward."
Continue reading the main story
It was a significant challenge to David Cameron's authority. Almost half of his own MPs failed to support him.
There are warnings now of a lot of disaffected people within his party and predictions that that it could weaken his leadership.
Tuesday's vote was a big moment but it has got further stages to pass in the parliamentary process. In the months and years ahead there is the possibility that this issue will fester with angry Tories, both in parliament and in associations across the country.
There is another view though, that the prime minister will be delighted.
He's had a very public confrontation with the notably more traditional part of his party over an issue that he believes is worth a big fight.
He thinks marriage should be open to all. But he also sees it as a defining moment in his modernising mission.
Crudely speaking, he hopes there will be votes in it come 2015.
Analysis
There are warnings now of a lot of disaffected people within his party and predictions that that it could weaken his leadership.
Tuesday's vote was a big moment but it has got further stages to pass in the parliamentary process. In the months and years ahead there is the possibility that this issue will fester with angry Tories, both in parliament and in associations across the country.
There is another view though, that the prime minister will be delighted.
He's had a very public confrontation with the notably more traditional part of his party over an issue that he believes is worth a big fight.
He thinks marriage should be open to all. But he also sees it as a defining moment in his modernising mission.
Crudely speaking, he hopes there will be votes in it come 2015.
Voting lists show that 136 Conservatives - almost half of the party's MPs - opposed the bill.
This figure included two cabinet ministers - Environment
Secretary Owen Paterson and Welsh Secretary David Jones - eight junior
ministers, and eight whips.Of the remaining Conservative MPs, 127 were in favour, 35 did not vote, and five registered an abstention by voting both in favour and against.
Mr Paterson defended his decision to vote against the bill, saying his views were "not discriminatory at all".
"I have my idea and many agreed with me but many more didn't," he said. "I have a clear idea of what the definition of marriage is... I expressed that last night and this process continues through Parliament."
Among those who voted against, Conservative MP David Burrowes predicted that the legislation would receive substantial opposition when it arrived in the House of Lords.
However, he said the vote had shown that the party was in touch with the country: "The nation is divided, we have shown ourselves as a party to be divided."
Former Tory defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth said that the government had no mandate for such a "massive social and cultural change", which had not been mentioned in the 2010 Conservative manifesto.
Another Conservative MP opposed to same-sex marriages, Sir Roger Gale, says he hoped the the prime minister would make changes to the legislation.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "I think what we can do is ameliorate the worst of the effects of the proposed legislation."
He has suggested replacing register office marriages and civil partnerships with a new form of civil union to "strengthen the concept that marriage is a union between one man and one woman, to leave that to faith to implement".
Tory Mark Pritchard, who also voted against the bill, said he expected there would be "ongoing discussions over the progress of the bill", but denied that disagreement amongst Conservative MPs had "caused long lasting division" or that there had been "fundamental damage to the prime minister".
'Equality landmark' Downing Street sought to play down the significance of the split in the Conservative Party, stressing that it had been a free vote.
The prime minister's spokesman said David Cameron "very much respected the opinion" of those who did not share his view.
Pressed over possible amendments to the legislation, the spokesman said Mr Cameron believed the safeguards in the bill were "the right and appropriate ones".
Mr Miliband, the leader of the opposition, welcomed the outcome of the Commons vote.
"This is a proud day and an important step forward in the fight for equality in Britain," he said.
"The overwhelming majority of Labour MPs supported this change to make sure marriage reflects the value we place on long-term, loving relationships whoever you love."
Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said he believed people would look back at the vote and see it as "a landmark for equality in Britain".
He said: "No matter who you are and who you love, we are all equal. Marriage is about love and commitment, and it should no longer be denied to people just because they are gay.
"The Liberal Democrats have long fought for equal marriage. It is party policy and I am proud that the Liberal Democrats are part of the coalition government that are making it happen."
Four of the 56 Liberal Democrat MPs opposed the legislation.
They included former coalition minister Sarah Teather who, in a statement, expressed concern that the definition of marriage was being changed, which could make family life more unstable.
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