A clear majority of German MPs has voted to legalize same-sex marriage; days after Chancellor Angela Merkel dropped her opposition to a vote. The reform gives gay men and lesbians full marital rights, and allow them to adopt children.
At present, same-sex couples are limited to civil unions. Mrs. Merkel’s political opponents were strongly in favor. But Mrs. Merkel, who only gave MPs the go-ahead on Monday, voted against.
She had told deputies in her conservative Christian Democrat party (CDU) to “follow their conscience”.
Norbert Lammert, president of the parliament, said 393 lawmakers voted to approve the amendment, while 226 voted against and four abstained.
The German legal code will now read: “Marriage is entered into for life by two people of different or the same sex”, AFP news agency reported.
How did Merkel prompt the vote?
During her 2013 election campaign, Angela Merkel argued against gay marriage on the grounds of “children’s welfare,” and admitted that she had a “hard time” with the issue.
A host of European countries have beaten Germany to a same-sex marriage law.
Civil marriages are legally recognized in Norway, Sweden, Denmark (excluding the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, France, the UK (except Northern Ireland and Jersey), and the Republic of Ireland.
But in Austria and Italy – as in Germany – gay couples are restricted to civil partnerships. BBC
