In a Sunday referendum, the Swiss voted to legalize same-sex marriages, the DPA reported. In total, 64.1 percent of the Swiss agreed to “marriage for all,” with the proposal receiving the support of more than half of the citizens in all 26 cantons. The result, according to the AFP agency, is not surprising.
Switzerland’s parliament approved same-sex marriage last year, but a trio of nationalist and Christian-conservative parties, which collected enough signatures to hold the referendum on the issue, disagreed.
Proponents of same-sex marriage say that approving the law will put heterosexual and same-sex couples at the same level in areas such as children adoption, obtaining citizenship after marriage, and regulated sperm donation, the AP agency wrote.
Opponents believe that if registered partnerships were to replace traditional marriages, it would disrupt the traditional family, that is, the union of a man and a woman. The main opponents are the nationalist Swiss People’s Party (SVP), the national-conservative Federal Democratic Union (EDU), and the Centre, a conservative Christian party. According to them, there is no need to change the existing rules, which allow for a registered partnership from 2007.
However, according to supporters of the law, it may take several more months for same-sex couples to be able to marry, mainly due to administrative and legislative procedures.
Most countries in Western Europe have allowed same-sex marriage, while most countries in the central and eastern part of the continent have not, the AP noted.
At the same time, the Swiss also voted on the initiative of young socialists, who wanted higher taxation of investment and capital of the wealthiest people. However, 64.9 percent of voters in Switzerland, with its strong financial sector and relatively low taxes, rejected the proposal.
