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Loading ...Gay marriage to be legal in Sweden next year
11.06.2008 1:36pm EST
(Stockholm) Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said Thursday legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry is on track and should become law by next May.
Reinfeldt’s coalition government is divided, he conceded, over whether the legislation should allow for church weddings. The Conservative Christian Democrats believe the bill should only allow for civil marriages.The Prime Minister said he is confident that a compromise will be reached.
“Sweden could have a gender neutral marriage law by May 1, 2009,” Reinfeldt told Swedish Radio.
Sweden allows civil partnerships. Under a law enacted in 1995 same-sex couples haves most of the rights and obligations of marriage to gay and lesbian couples who register. But it did not provide for adoption or IVF.
In 2003, the law was amended to allow registered partners to adopt children and since 2006, women in registered partnerships have been allowed to receive in vitro fertalization.
A parliamentary committee studying the issue last year called civil partnerships outdated and recommended Parliament allow same-sex marriage.
Six of Sweden’s seven political parties support the legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry either in civil or church ceremonies, leaving only the small Christian Democratic Party opposing the measure.
The Swedish Lutheran Church has offered blessing services for couples in civil unions since 2007, but it has balked at allowing pastors to perform weddings for gay couples.
Under the bill introduced by Reinfeldt’s government, pastors would have the right to decide whether to officiate at same-sex marriages.
Why just “punish” the Mormon Church. Why not go after the Baptist and other various evangelical Churches that supported Prop. 8?
Back in 1994, did the Mormon Church get backlashed when they fronted alot of money for not promoting gay issues in Utah? They been at it a long time.
Do it! You’re totally welcome. The weather’s nice and everyone speaks english.
Regarding the The Swedish Lutheran Church; It should be noted that a wedding ceremony is a right while blessings are only a request not always granted and is significally different from weddings, usually not allowing friends and relatives to witness.
Good for Sweden, we have to work even harder for the same thing in the US.
United States Suck.
we all know that. Unless you are in some RELIGIOUS Cult, no matter what your race is then this country is not for you.
Get rid of Religion and you will get rid of evil!
People are too scared, they need something to cling on to because they are scared of dying.
I am so totally moving to Sweden. Why should I pay tax dollars to and live in a country that does not even consider me worthy of equal rights?
Mormons are going to face severe backlashes sooner than they thought.
I encourage all of you to protest and block the Mormon temples and churches
all over the country. Request IRS to
suspend Mormon’s tax exemption for
violated the separation of state and
church.
With progressive countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway beginning January 2009 and now possibly Sweden in May 2009, what does this tell you about the “democracy” of the United States of America. Apparently not too much considering that much of what happens in the United States is still determined by overbearing religious extremists who don’t have any clue at to what love and equality is. One can only hope with the new administration a few changes will start taking place.