About 1,000 people, including many married couples and children, demonstrated yesterday evening (June 19) in Rome's Piazza Navona in favour of a Bill to introduce divorce in Italy.

The demonstrators carried placards attacking the Roman Catholic Church and demanded that the Divorce Bill should be approved by the Senate before July 31st.

The Bill, which would allow couples to be divorced after five years of continuous separation, came before the Senate yesterday (June 19) for a crucial debate.

Despite strong opposition by the Vatican and the Christian Democrats--Italy's largest Party--the Bill was passed by the Chamber of Deputies last November. It now only needs Senate approval and the President's signature to become law. The Senate Debate, however, was adjourned until next week.