Debate has occurred throughout Europe over proposals to legalize same-sex marriage as well as civil unions and registered partnerships.
Currently 22 of the 51 countries in Europe recognize some type of same-sex unions, among them a majority of members of the European Union. Seven European countries legally recognize same-sex marriage, namely Belgium, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. An additional fifteen have a form of civil union, registered partnership or unregistered cohabitation. Several countries currently consider improving same-sex union recognition.
The constitutions of Belarus, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia and Ukraine define marriage as a union between a man and woman.
Contents |
| Status | Country | Year of implementation | EU member |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriage (7 states) |
Belgium | 2003 | |
| Iceland | 2010 | ||
| Netherlands | 2001 | ||
| Norway | 2009 | ||
| Portugal | 2010 | ||
| Spain | 2005 | ||
| Sweden | 2009 | ||
| Civil unions and registered partnerships (14 states) |
Andorra | 2005 | |
| Austria | 2010 | ||
| Czech Republic | 2006 | ||
| Denmark | 1989 | ||
| Finland | 2002 | ||
| France | 1999 | ||
| Germany | 2001 | ||
| Hungary | 2009 | ||
| Ireland | 2011 | ||
| Liechtenstein | 2011 | ||
| Luxembourg | 2004 | ||
| Slovenia | 2006 | ||
| Switzerland | 2007 | ||
| United Kingdom | 2005 | ||
| Unregistered cohabitation (1 state) |
Croatia | 2003 | |
| No recognition (29 states) |
Albania | — | |
| Armenia | — | ||
| Azerbaijan | — | ||
| Belarus | — | ||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | — | ||
| Bulgaria | — | ||
| Cyprus | — | ||
| Estonia | — | ||
| Georgia | — | ||
| Greece | — | ||
| Italy | — | ||
| Kazakhstan | — | ||
| Kosovo | — | ||
| Latvia | — | ||
| Lithuania | — | ||
| Macedonia | — | ||
| Malta | — | ||
| Moldova | — | ||
| Monaco | — | ||
| Montenegro | — | ||
| Poland | — | ||
| Romania | — | ||
| Russia | — | ||
| Slovakia | — | ||
| San Marino | — | ||
| Serbia | — | ||
| Turkey | — | ||
| Ukraine | — | ||
| Vatican City | — |
Luxembourg, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Finland have confirmed their intention to vote on same-sex marriage bills.
The government of Luxembourg has confirmed its intention to allow same-sex couples to marry.[1][2] On July 9, 2010, the government accepted the bill for legalization.[3][4][5][6] On August 10, the bill was submitted to the parliament.[7]
In Finland the Minister of Justice, Tuija Brax, has asked the justice ministry to prepare a report on gender-neutral marriage law, paving the way for a bill after Finnish parliamentary election, 2011. According to her, same-sex marriages could be legal in Finland by 2012.[8]
On 2 September 2011, the Scottish Government launched their consultation on whether marriage in Scotland should be allowed for same-sex couples through a civil or religious ceremony, and whether a religious ceremony should be allowed for civil partnership.[9] The Government declared that they were minded to allow marriage for same-sex couples. This followed the publication of the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey for 2010 which revealed that almost two-thirds of people (61%) supported same-sex marriage[10] , up from 41% in 2002.
On 16 September 2011, the UK Government announced plans to start a consultation on Same-Sex Civil Marriage within England and Wales, with the remit of the Consultation to be to examine how this can be introduced, rather than whether it should be introduced.[11] Accordingly, Same-Sex Civil Marriage would be legislated for in England and Wales by the 2015 General Election.
Greece, Poland and Romania are considering legalization of civil union or registered partnership. The government of Malta plans to introduce unregistered cohabitation. Civil partnership legislation in British crown territory of Jersey has passed in the parliament and now awaits being signing into law.
On September 17, 2010 the minister of Justice of Greece announced that a special committee had been formed to prepare a registered partnership law that would include both same-sex and different-sex couples.
In March 2011, the SLD intends to submit to the Polish Parliament a draft law on “registered relationship”, which will regulate the relationship of same-sex couples. This project has already been prepared.[12] Prime Minister Donald Tusk of the ruling Civic Platform suggested that the matter be addressed following the October parliamentary election.
Debate has occurred throughout the European Union over a proposal which would require each member to legally recognize each other's same-sex marriages as well as any member's civil unions and registered partnerships.[13][14]
Public support for same-sex marriage from EU member states as measured from a 2006 poll is the greatest in the Netherlands (82%), Sweden (71%), Denmark, (69%), Spain (66%), Belgium (65%), Luxembourg (58%), Finland (54%), Germany (52%) and the Czech Republic (52%).[15] However, other polls have also placed Germany and France between 54% to 65%,[16] the UK at 61%.[17]
After the approval of same-sex marriage in Portugal in January 2010, 52% of the Portuguese population stated that they were in favor of the legislation.[18] In 2008 58% of the Norwegian voters supported the Marriage Act, which was introduced in the same year, and 31 percent were against it.[19] In January 2010 41.0% of Italians respondents supported same-sex marriage.[20]
In Ireland, a 2008 survey revealed 84% of people supported civil unions for same-sex couples (and 58% for same-sex marriage),[21] while a 2010 survey showed 67% supported same-sex marriage[22] by 2011 this figure had risen to 73% in support.[23]
In comparison, support tends to be the lowest from Eastern European states, such as Cyprus, Greece, Latvia and Poland (with the exception of the supportive majority atheist Czech Republic, as mentioned above). The average percentage of support for same-sex marriage in the European Union as of 2006 when it had 25 members is 44%, which had descended from a previous percentage of 53%, due to more socially conservative nations joining the EU.[15]
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