Poll shows
Europeans split over same-sex marriage

European Union nations are sharply split in their attitudes toward same-sex marriage, with 82% of Dutch citizens backing it compared with less than 20% in several eastern and southern countries, according to a poll released Monday. Overall, 44% of citizens in the 25-nation E.U. believe same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout the bloc, according to the Eurobarometer poll. Support is highest in northern European nations: Behind the Dutch, 71% of Swedes, 69% of Danes, and 62% of Belgians back the idea. In contrast, only 11% of Romanians, 12% of Latvians, and 14% of Cypriots agree. The poll also showed 32% of Europeans in general believe gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to adopt children. The twice-yearly poll questioned 30,000 people around the E.U. on a range of issues. It was the result of about 1,000 interviews in each member state, and it had a margin of error of between 1.9 to 3.1 percentage points. (AP)