Erstellt am: 22. 7. 2015 - 13:32 Uhr

"The proximity of the Vatican is a major factor"

Reality Check: why is Italy behind on recognising same-sex partnerships? Some facts and figures behind the unrest in Burundi.

Italy & gay marriage

Why is Italy the only major western European country that does not recognise either civil partnerships or marriage for same-sex couples?

EPA/MASSIMO PERCOSSI

In a handful of left-wing municipalities in Italy, such as Rome and Milan, gay couples can register their civil union in a symbolic list, but this doesn’t confer any of the rights that campaigners are demanding and which the European Court of Human Rights has called for.

A day after the European Court of Human Rights criticised Italy for failing to provide legal recognition to same-sex couples, our correspondent in Rome, Michael Day, reports on Italian attitudes and politics, and how the government is planning to respond:

Burundi

Burundi, a small landlocked country in East Africa, is one of the world’s poorest countries and has been plagued by tensions for decades.

EPA/WILL SWANSON

A woman shows her voting card and her finger dipped in ink after voting during the Presidential election in the capital Bujumbura, Burundi, 21 July 2015.

It looks unlikely that Tuesday’s presidential election will resolve those tensions any time soon, with protests over President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term. Many people are worried the unrest could turn into widespread violence, and even civil war. Riem Higazi put together some facts and figures on Burundi and its recent history:

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