New year with new law. Estonia has legalized same-sex marriage

On Monday, January 1, 2024, online registration started for same-sex couples who want to get married in Estonia. Formal same-sex relationships have been legalized in accordance with the provisions of the amendment to the Family Act passed in June last year – reported “The Guardian”.

Estonia. Same-sex marriage legal

At that time, 55 members of parliament voted in favor of the project, and 34 members voted against it. Supporters of same-sex marriage constituted the majority in the 101-seat chamber, therefore – at the beginning of the following year – the new form of the act was recognized as binding. Estonia thus became the first post-Soviet country where same-sex couples can permanently formalize their relationships.

Eleven years earlier, the parliamentary majority voted to introduce civil partnerships and civil unions in the country. At that time, 34 percent were in favor of same-sex marriage. inhabitants. However, over this time, Estonians have changed their approach to permanently formalizing relationships and currently 53 percent support this option. citizens.

The first weddings this year

– For the LGBT+ community, this is a very important message from the government, which says that we are finally as equal as other couples, activist Keio Soomelt told The Guardian. The man plans to get married to his partner in 2024. “I’m really happy that I can organize a proper wedding at home and not somewhere else, it would be less important,” added 24-year-old teacher Marielle Tuum.

The remaining Baltic countries have not yet legalized same-sex marriage. Last year, the Latvian parliament passed a law on civil partnerships, but it was frozen until July due to opposition protests. In Lithuania, same-sex couples do not have the tools to formalize their relationships.