Analyse
The quoted phrasing appears in Fernández de la Vega's public statements supporting the 2005 same‑sex marriage law, as reported by major Spanish media. In 2005 Spain was only the third country worldwide (after the Netherlands and Belgium) to legalise same‑sex marriage, meaning it was indeed ahead of the vast majority of nations, many of which still prohibited such unions. The description of the reform as a "civilizatorio" advance is a value judgment, but it reflects her expressed viewpoint.
Achtergrond
The Spanish same‑sex marriage law was approved in July 2005 under Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, granting full marriage rights to same‑sex couples. At that time, only the Netherlands (2001) and Belgium (2003) had similar legislation, while most other countries either prohibited same‑sex marriage or offered only civil unions. Fernández de la Vega, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidency, was a vocal advocate of the law.
Samenvatting verdict
María Teresa Fernández de la Vega did describe same‑sex marriage as a civilizational advance and noted that Spain was moving ahead of most countries in 2005.