Estonia’s Parliament has passed a law to legalise same-sex marriage, making it the first Baltic state to do so. The amendments to the Family Law Act also mean that same-sex couples can now adopt children.
The Estonian Parliament has approved a law allowing same-sex marriage. With this, Estonia has become the first Baltic country to legally recognize marriage equality.
The parliament in Tallinn voted to allow two people to marry regardless of their gender. The law will enter into force next year.
The amendments to the Family Law Act also mean that same-sex couples can now adopt children.
Following the vote, Estonia’s first female Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, stated, “Everyone should have the right to marry the person they love and want to commit to,” adding that she is “proud of Estonia.”
“I am genuinely very grateful for the patience and understanding the LGBT+ community has shown for all these years,” said Signe Riisalo, Estonia’s Minister of Social Protection.
Since 2014, same-sex couples in Estonia have been able to enter into civil partnerships. However, it has taken until now for the parliament to address legal loopholes that prevented same-sex partners from enjoying the same rights as heterosexual couples.
Legal in 18 countries
Marriage equality is currently legal in 32 countries worldwide and in 18 countries across Europe.
The Netherlands became the first country to allow same-sex marriages in 2001, followed by Belgium, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Denmark, France, and other countries.
In Ireland, same-sex marriage was legalized in 2015, followed by Austria in 2019, Switzerland in 2021, and Andorra in 2022.
Estonia has become the first Baltic country to legally recognize marriage equality.
The Baltic countries of Latvia and Lithuania, both former Soviet Union countries, have pending bills in their respective parliaments to recognize marriage equality.