Pier Ferdinando Casini, leader of one of Italy’s main political parties, UDC, has compared same-sex marriage to pedophilia.

UDC, Unione Democratici di Centro is a Catholic party and is the successor to the old Democrazia Cristiana, which ruled in Italy for decades until the 1990s.

Speaking on national radio, Casini said: ‘On gay marriage we can not follow Europe. Some northern countries have given voice to movements campaigning for pedophilia.

‘I have a lot of gay friends and I know that they need some rights. But we can not allow same-sex marriage, this sacred moment is possible only between a man and a woman.’

Casini’s words on pedophilia are raising concercs among Italian LGBT activists and politicians from the left.

LGBT activist and politician Franco Grillini told Gay Star News: ‘Casini is obsessed by gay marriage, I think he dreams of it at night.

‘No one in Europe has ever legalized pedophilia. Casini is saying something that is not true.’

Fabrizio Marrazzo, Gay Center’s spokesman, said: ‘Pedophilia is more common among straight people. Casini should recognize this is not a gay issue.’