Slovenia To Legalize Equal Marriage And Adoption
On Tuesday, the Slovenian parliament passed an amendment allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt. The move comes after a constitutional court ruling, making it the first country in Eastern Europe to have equal rights.
The family law amendment was passed by 48 MPs, with 29 against and one abstaining, according to EuroNews.
Slovenia is the first former communist country in Europe to endorse this reform. Most of its neighbors do not allow civil unions or same-sex marriages.
Estonia came close in 2016. It agreed to recognize same-sex unions created in other countries. While Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Montenegro have laws establishing same-sex civil partnerships. But in Hungary, talking about homosexuality in front of children has been punishable by a fine since the summer of 2021.
In July, Slovenia's highest court ruled that defining marriage as only between a man and a woman discriminated against gay and lesbian couples. It ordered parliament to amend the text within six months.
“With these changes, we are recognizing the rights of same-sex couples that they should have had for a long time,” State Secretary Simon Maljevac told MPs when presenting the amendment.
The main opposition party, the Slovenian Democratic Party, criticized the court's decision and organized several rallies against the new law. “The best father will never replace a mother and vice versa,” said SDS parliamentary group chairman Alenka Jeraj at the opening of the debate.
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