Italy’s Senate looks ready to pass same-sex partnership rights but a massive ‘family’ rally tomorrow in Rome could still damage the bill.

The first day of debate on the civil unions bill in the Senate went better than expected yesterday, with even some conservative politicians appearing to recognize the importance of granting some rights.

But a massive ‘family day’ rally in Rome tomorrow will demand the bill isn’t passed.

The last rally of this kind in June last year attracted around 500,000 people.

Mattia Stella, president of LGBTI group Arcigay, told Gay Star News: ‘We expect big numbers again in Rome and this is happening just a few days before the important moment when the bill is approved. We are quite worried at the moment.

‘A lot depends what is going to happen tomorrow. The number of people who join the Family Day and the consequences that big day may have on the politicians is something we are watching closely. They get really easily influenced by things like that.’

Catholics have been leading the opposition to lesbian and gay civil unions, with Pope Francis claiming traditional marriages are ‘the family God wants’.

But with Italy as the only major Western European country not to recognize same-sex unions, there is also pressure to pass the law.

In July, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Rome had violated the rights of three gay couples by not offering them any legal protection. The European Parliament has also called on Italy to recognize same-sex couples.

And tens of thousands of Italians joined rallies in almost 100 towns and cities in support of the new law last weekend (pictured).

Two big issues are dominating the parliamentary debate.

Much of the ‘preliminary questions’ stage of the debate in the Senate yesterday was on the constitutional aspects of the proposed law which grants some but not all of the rights of marriage.

‘Step-child adoption’, the right to adopt your partner’s children from a previous relationship, is included in the bill and has been fiercely opposed by Catholic groups.

As a result, some fear the proposed laws will be even more watered down – although there is still a wide expectation that some version of civil unions will pass.

Next week the Senate will vote on amendments to the government’s bill. The final vote in the Senate will be the week after, between 8 and 10 February.

It will then be passed to the lower house of parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, for their vote.

But the bill has been championed by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi since 2014, who holds a clear majority in that chamber, making it near-certain that it will pass that stage.