sentences:  Lombardy, led by the centre-right House of Freedoms, officially declared their opposition to any recognition of same-sex relationships.All these actions, however, are merely symbolic as regions do not have legislative power on the matter.Despite the fact that several bills on civil unions or the recognition of rights to unregistered couples had been introduced into the Parliament in the twenty years prior to 2016, none had been approved owing to the strong opposition from the social conservative members of Parliament belonging to both coalitions.