Parliament in Slovenia votes to move marriage forward for same-sex couples

Today, March 3, Slovenia voted in favor of the freedom to marry to the country, amending the country's Marriage & Family Relations Act to include relationships between same-sex couples.

The amendment passed with a vote of 51-28 in the General Assembly. The bill was introduced on December 15 of 2014. On February 10, the Committe on Family, Social Policy, and Disability of the National Assembly voted to allow the bill to continue to the General Assembly, where it was voted on today.

The Slovene National Council now has seven days to decide whether or not the Assembly must vote again.

This vote means that Slovenia may become the 12th European country to have the freedom to marry, and the first Central European country. This vote also positions Slovenia to become the 19th country in the world with the freedom to marry nationwide. The other 18 countries where same-sex couples can share marriage nationwide are: The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Denmark, Brazil, France, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom (including England, Wales and Scotland). Two others have taken regional steps to allow same-sex couples to share in the freedom to marry in parts of the country: Mexico and the United States.

A poll in February of 2015 in Slovenia found that 59% of the population supported the freedom to marry for same-sex couples, with 37% against.

Read more about the freedom to marry internationally here.