German Parliament Will Vote on Gay Marriage




The German Parliament will vote on same-sex marriage tomorrow.

 President Angela Merkel has announced a free vote on gay marriage meaning party members can vote with their conscience rather than tow the party line.

Support for same-sex marriage is high in Germany. 

 Civil partnerships have been legal there since 2001. 

 But President Merkel has been reluctant to upset some of the more conservative members of her centre-right coalition government by forcing the issue.  

 She's voiced concerns, too, about the rights of children in situations where the parents are in a same-sex marriage.

 Her change of heart is almost entirely political.  Germany will soon be heading to the polls and same-sex marriage would have been the ideal platform for her rivals to challenge her on. 

 It's easy to be cynical, but this is huge news for Germany's LGBT community. Some measure of opposition is expected but it's likely the vote will pass. 

 We'll keep you updated. 


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