Germany's parliament backed the legalisation of same-sex marriage on Friday in a historic vote hailed by gay activists and leftist parties but criticised by some in Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling conservative bloc and by the Catholic Church.
The move brings Germany into line with many other European nations including France, Britain and Spain and follows Merkel's surprise decision this week to allow her lawmakers to follow their own conscience rather than the party line on the issue. Merkel, daughter of a Protestant pastor, voted against the bill.
Hundreds of gay activists, some with painted faces, celebrated outside the Bundestag lower house of parliament after the vote, waving rainbow flags and placards that read "Marriage for all - make love for all".
"This is simply a historic day for Germany," said Soeren Landmann, a marriage equality activist.
"Today, thousands of same sex couples were given equality, and the two-class society in matters of love was abolished. Germany can really rejoice today."
The vote has particular resonance in Germany as it unwinds a legacy of virulent homophobia. Earlier this year parliament agreed to grant compensation to thousands of gay men jailed under a 19th century law that was strengthened by the Nazis and only dropped in 1969 when homosexuality was decriminalised in West Germany.
Merkel, who is seeking a fourth term in a national election on Sept. 24, said she had voted against the bill because she believed that marriage as defined under German law was between a man and a woman.
But she said her decision was a personal one, adding that she had become convinced in recent years that same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt children.
"I hope that the vote today not only promotes respect between the different opinions but also brings more social cohesion and peace," she said.
CRITICISM
Lawmakers voted by 393 votes in favour of same-sex marriage to 226 against, with four abstentions.
Merkel's announcement on Monday that she would allow lawmakers to vote on same-sex marriage according to their individual conscience drew the ire of some in her traditionally Catholic conservative bloc.
Erika Steinbach, an independent lawmaker who quit Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in protest over her open-door policy towards asylum seekers, accused the chancellor of betraying the party's values in a clumsy attempt to defuse the politically sensitive issue before the September election.
"It runs against the CDU's own party programme, which sees marriage as being between a man and a woman, so CDU decisions are clearly not worth the paper they are written on. It would be hard to exaggerate how excruciating this is," said Steinbach.
To Merkel’s right, the anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which opposed marriage equality, accused her of "abandoning the last conservative nuances her party had".
The Catholic Church said it regretted the decision.
"An appreciation of same-sex cohabitation can also be expressed by a different institutional design," said Archbishop Heiner Kochof of Berlin.
Political analysts say the issue will likely have faded from voters' minds by the time the September election comes around.
The vote marks a rare victory for Merkel's Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners, who are trailing the conservatives in opinion polls. They had seized on Merkel's comments on Monday to say they would push for an early vote before parliament's summer recess.
SPD General Secretary Hubertus Heil accused Merkel of political cowardice over her decision to make the issue a matter of private conscience.
"After 17 years with her at the top, the CDU has become cowardly," he told RND news. "Hers is a politics of no conviction."
The same-sex bill, which had the backing of the opposition Greens and the far-left Linke party, will likely be signed into law by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier some time after July 7.
Reuters
Fri Jun 30 2017
People demonstrate in front of Germany's lower house of parliament Bundestag while the delegates vote on legalising same-sex marriage, in Berlin, Germany June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke
103 projek bekalan air Pahang libatkan kos RM121.2 juta telah disiapkan
Sebanyak 103 projek pembangunan bekalan air Pahang membabitkan kos sebanyak RM121.2 juta telah disiapkan setakat ini, kata Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
Inndeks Harga Pengeluar Perkhidmatan naik 1.0 peratus pada suku pertama
IHPRP mencatatkan 115.8 mata pada suku pertama 2024 (S1 2024), meningkat satu peratus, yang sama seperti suku keempat 2023 (S4 2023), kata DOSM.
Perancang kewangan perlu lapor kegiatan meragukan kepada pihak berkuasa
Perancang kewangan perlu memainkan peranan untuk melaporkan sebarang kegiatan mencurigakan yang menjurus kepada pengubahan wang haram kepada pihak berkuasa.
Negeri Sembilan arah PBT kenal pasti pokok risiko tumbang di tanah persendirian
Kesemua PBT di Negeri Sembilan diarah mengenal pasti semua pokok yang berbahaya dan berisiko tumbang terutama di kawasan tanah persendirian.
PKNP kenal pasti kawasan berpotensi dibangunkan sekitar ECRL
PKNP kenal pasti beberapa kawasan berpotensi dibangunkan di sekitar stesen ECRL yang sekali gus menyumbang kepada pembangunan ekonomi penduduk setempat dan negeri Pahang.
Mahu kongsi khasiat, bekas guru agama buka ladang dhab pertama di Malaysia
Seorang bekas guru agama membuka sebuah ladang ternakan dhab atau nama saintifiknya Uromastyx aegyptia yang pertama di negara ini.
UPNM guna bahan buangan kelapa sawit jadi peledak peluru
UPNM mengorak langkah dalam bidang inovasi apabila menghasilkan peledak atau bahan bakar alternatif dalam peluru daripada ekstrak bahan buangan kelapa sawit.
10 Berita Pilihan - (08 Mei 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Taikun dipenjara terkait kes cubaan bunuh dua dekad lalu
Taikun dipenjara terkait kes cubaan bunuh dua dekad lalu
Seorang ahli perniagaan Ukraine yang kini dipenjara akibat kes penipuan dan penyelewengan wang turut berdepan sabitan cubaan membunuh dalam kes yang berlaku lebih dua dekad lalu. Polis Ukraine dalam kenyataan mendedahkan bahawa Ihor Kolomoisky berkemungkinan bertanggungjawab sebagai dalang cubaan membunuh seorang peguam dalam konflik berkaitan hal korporat lebih dua tahun lalu.
Seorang ahli perniagaan Ukraine yang kini dipenjara akibat kes penipuan dan penyelewengan wang turut berdepan sabitan cubaan membunuh dalam kes yang berlaku lebih dua dekad lalu. Polis Ukraine dalam kenyataan mendedahkan bahawa Ihor Kolomoisky berkemungkinan bertanggungjawab sebagai dalang cubaan membunuh seorang peguam dalam konflik berkaitan hal korporat lebih dua tahun lalu.
Pesawat FedEx mendarat cemas akibat masalah gear pendaratan
Sebuah pesawat kargo Boeing 763 terpaksa melakukan pendaratan cemas di Lapangan Terbang Istanbul, Turkiye kerana berhadapan dengan masalah pada gear pendaratannya. Dalam kejadian yang berlaku pada Rabu itu, kesemua kru telah dipindahkan dengan selamat daripada pesawat milik syarikat penghantaran Amerika Syarikat, FedEx.
Bekas Canselor Jerman Angela Merkel terima anugerah tertinggi negara
Merkel memegang jawatan canselor dari 2005 hingga 2021.
Jerman hentikan operasi tiga loji nuklear terakhir
Jerman menghentikan operasi tiga loji tenaga nuklear terakhirnya pada Sabtu sebagai sebahagian daripada peralihan kepada tenaga boleh diperbaharui.
Canselor Jerman: Era pemerintahan Angela Merkel tamat selepas 16 tahun
Olaf Scholz secara rasmi dilantik sebagai Canselor Jerman yang baharu pada Rabu menggantikan Angela Merkel.
COVID-19: Jerman debat isu wajibkan vaksinasi
Pada Ahad, kes jangkitan koronavirus sepanjang tujuh hari lalu di Jerman meningkat ke paras tertinggi sejak wabak itu bermula untuk hari ke-14 berturut-turut.
COVID-19: Jerman bakal kenakan peraturan baharu
Peraturan baharu itu akan dibawa ke Parlimen untuk diluluskan hari ini.
COVID-19: Angela Merkel rayu rakyat Jerman segera dapatkan vaksin
Ini kerana, kata Merkel, kadar jangkitan COVID-19 di negara itu mencecah angka baharu tertinggi dengan bilangan korban turut meningkat.
Sekatan Jerman terhadap minyak sawit berdasarkan kepada maklumat palsu
Sekatan Jerman terhadap minyak sawit adalah berdasarkan kepada maklumat palsu dan secara sengaja tidak merujuk kepada fakta alam sekitar.
Parti Canselor Angela Merkel mula kempen pilihan raya secara rasmi
Parti Kristian Demokrat (CDU) yang kini dipimpin Armin Laschet berharap dapat terus mentadbir negara selepas Merkel umum mahu mengundur diri.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Jerman bakal kenakan caj ujian COVID-19 kepada yang enggan terima vaksin
Tiada lagi ujian saringan COVID-19 percuma untuk golongan yang enggan menerima vaksin, kata Canselor Angela Merkel pada Selasa.