The Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) has passed a law that provides for the possibility of marriage between two adults, regardless of their gender, from January 1, 2024.
This is reported by ERR.
55 members of the Riigikogu voted for the adoption of the relevant bill and 34 voted against it.
The document envisages changing the content of the institution of marriage, known from family law, so that in the future two natural persons who have reached the age of majority can enter into marriage, regardless of their gender.
In addition to marriage, individuals also have the option of entering into a cohabitation agreement as an alternative.
Now same-sex married couples can adopt children. A same-sex couple can adopt a child of one of the spouses with the consent of the other biological father/mother. The law establishes the principle that a child cannot have more than two parents. The principle according to which the rights and obligations regarding the child primarily belong to his biological parents is preserved.
After Tuesday's vote, Estonia will become the second country in Eastern Europe, after Slovenia, where same-sex couples can marry. The law enters into force on January 1, 2024.
The draft passed the first reading on May 22 and 711 amendments were submitted by the deadline.
We will remind, in Estonia in February, same-sex couples who entered into a cohabitation agreement were allowed to take a common surname.
