Bergoglio made that statement as the Archbishop of Buenos Aries, not as Pope. At the same time, he urged his fellow bishops to not argue against a proposal for the civil recognition of homo-unions. His fellow bishops rejected Bergoglio's suggestion.
Now, as Bishop of Rome, he seems to have lightened up even more.
As I understand it, he was envisioning domestic partnership of a sort which would not necessarily imply sexual relations: in other words, a stable household consisting of two elderly widows, a grandmother and her grandchild, a father and his adult handicapped son, two unrelated men, in short, any such housemates.
It could be two sexually involved men or two lesbians, but in itself it would not imply sexual relations.
This legislation, as I understand it, was a non-starter in Argentina.
Sexual dissenters, however, are still being excommunicated by Pope Francis (LINK).