Mario Monti

Last month, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti distanced himself from the issue of same-sex marriage, saying that the question of same-sex marriage should be decided by Parliament, not by him or any outside force. He even suggested it was an issue of “personal dignity.” Apparently, Monti’s friends at the Vatican were not too keen on this position, and now he’s come out against marriage equality:

MONTI: My thought is that the family should be made up of one man and one woman, and I consider it necessary that children should grow up with a mother and a father. Parliament can find other solutions for other kinds of unions and cohabitations.

Monti was appointed 14 months ago to replace the scandal-ridden Silvio Berlusconi when he resigned after losing his majority in Parliament. Berlusconi is now plotting a comeback, however, and has expressed his support for marriage equality. Given The Vatican’s newly intensified dedication to opposing same-sex marriage, the issue could be hotly contested in the upcoming election.