The law is right

Bundestag approved a bill proving a complete and equal recognition of same -sex marriages by a majority vote, the German wave reports . 393 deputies voted for the bill, against 226, four abstained.

The Bloc of the parties of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union (CDS/CSS), whose representatives make up the majority in the ruling coalition, traditionally opposed the recognition of same-sex marriages. However, on Monday, the German Chancellor, the Chairman of the CDU Angel Merkel, asked deputies with a possible future vote to make a decision "at the call of conscience", and not guided by the general party position and observing the fractional discipline.

“For me, marriage, according to the Basic Law, is the union of a man and a woman,” Chancellor said after the vote. “And therefore today I did not vote for this bill.” At the same time, Merkel expressed the hope that "today's decision of the Bundestag will add a piece of peace and social unity."

Until 1969, homosexual relations in Germany were criminally persecuted. Since 2001, same -sex partnerships have been registered in Germany. These unions had less rights than heterosexual marriages. In particular, they were not provided with taxation benefits provided for married couples, and it was also not allowed to adopt children.

By 2017, 34 thousand same -sex couples officially formalized their relations in Germany. According to polls, most inhabitants of Germany support same -sex marriages.

In June 2015, the US Supreme Court decided that the same -sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in any state. Thus, the Supreme Court lifted the ban on same -sex marriages in 14 states, where it was still preserved.

On May 24, Taiwan’s highest judicial authority recognized the law that prohibited the registration of same -sex marriages to be non -promotional . The Decree of the Council of Supreme Judges noted that the refusal of same -sex marriages in order to protect public order has no rational grounds and is incompatible with the spirit of equality. By a court decision, the government should adopt the appropriate changes to the laws within two years. Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalized same -sex marriages.

Before the Bundestag’s decision, the laws on registration of same -sex marriages were adopted in 20 countries, most of the regions of Great Britain and 10 states of Mexico. However, sometimes officials refuse to register same -sex unions. Moreover, they, as a rule, refer to their religious beliefs.