Civil union

Malta Allows Same-Sex Couples to Marry

Malta's parliament voted on Wednesday to allow same-sex couples to marry, three years after passing a law permitting civil partnerships in the overwhelmingly Catholic country, reported the Telegraph.uk.co

Lawmakers gave near-unanimous approval to the bill, which represents a major step for LGBT rights on the island, which legalised divorce only in 2011 and where abortion is outlawed.

Germany: Parliament Legalizes Same-sex Marriage

German Chancellor Angela Merkel grimaces as she arrives for the weekly cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

German lawmakers voted to legalize same-sex marriage in their last session before the September election. Lawmakers voted 393 for legalizing "marriage for everybody," and 226 against with four abstentions.

Greek Parliament Legalizes Same-Sex Civil Unions 

The Greek parliament has passed a bill legalizing same-sex civil partnerships.

The law adopted on Tuesday night seeks to address omissions in 2008 legislation that recognized cohabitation for unmarried, but not same-sex couples. In 2013, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that excluding same-sex couples from the cohabitation legislation was discriminatory.

Gay rights spotlighted in Greek Parliament with voting on same-sex civil unions

Greek Parliament is poised to approve same-sex civil partnership on Tuesday following a plenary discussion kicking off at 12.30 p.m. in Greek Parliament. The bill has prompted debate and reaction in the Greek Orthodox church with a number of religious leaders taking a stand against the bill that improves gay rights.

Pages