Friday January 5, 2007 SGN.org |
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Volume 35 Issue 01 |
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Friday, Oct 10, 2008
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Switzerland holds first civil union |
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| Switzerland holds first civil union | ||
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Switzerland has recorded its first civil partnership under a new law that came into effect January 1. The couple, which wishes to remain anonymous, signed the registry in Ticino following a brief ceremony. Swiss radio said that the two men had been together for 30 years. The civil partnership law provides same-sex couples with all of the rights, privileges and responsibilities of marriage, but without the name, except for two key areas. Same-sex couples are not permitted to adopt or receive in vitro fertilization, and a foreign partner of a Swiss citizen will not receive preferential treatment when applying for immigration. The law does, however, provide the same rights in the areas of pensions, inheritance, taxes and alimony. The legislation was passed by the Swiss Parliament in 2004 but opponents headed by a small conservative religious party - the Federal Democratic Union - collected enough signatures to force a referendum on the issue. The FDU claimed that granting any rights to same-sex couples would undermine traditional marriage. The Roman Catholic Church urged voters to reject civil unions. But, the Federation of Protestant Churches supported the government's legislation. Swiss activists organized a nation-wide 'Yes to Partnership' campaign to support partnership rights and in 2005 the measure was approved by 60 percent of voters. It was the first time in European that voters had been asked to decide whether same-sex couples should receive government sanction. Elsewhere in Europe, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium have legalized same-sex marriage. Most other European Union nations have varying forms of domestic partnerships. Courtesy of 365Gay.com |
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