Estonian parliament passes legalization of same-sex marriage

Estonia's parliament has voted to amend the Family Law Act to allow same-sex marriage from January 1, 2024. Estonia will be the first former Soviet country to do so if the Estonian president approves the legislation.

Baltic Pride in Tallinn, Estonia's capital. Photo: Taavik27/Wikinews

The Civil Partnership Act, in force since 2016, allowed civil unions for same-sex couples but did not offer the same rights, such as adoption, as marriages, allowing civil partners to adopt children only when one is already a parent registered.

In 2012, a survey by the Estonian Center for Human Rights estimated that 34% of the Estonian population supported same-sex marriage; in April 2023 the percentage was 53%.

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