The Portuguese government have drawn up a proposal to change the law by removing any references stating that a marriage must be two people of different sexes. This law is expected to be passed which would then make Portugal the sixth county in Europe to allow gay marriages following Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway.

If Parliament approves the proposal in January, which is highly likely given the support, the first gay marriage ceremonies could be available from April 2010.

In a statement to the AP, Pedro Corte-Real, head of the Portuguese delegation of ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, said the proposal was a vindication of his group's battle to end sexual discrimination, "we have been fighting for this for years" .