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The cabinet of Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Thursday approved legislation creating civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. 

The bill is expected to be presented to Parliament later this month but its passage is far from certain. Prodi's left of center coalition has a razor thin majority and the the opposition right of center coalition, led by Silvio Berlusconi and aligned with the Vatican, is opposed to the measure.

That Prodi was able to secure cabinet approval is considered a major accomplishment.