Same-sex union legislation
Same-sex marriage is legal in the following countries: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands,[nb 1] New Zealand,[nb 2] Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom,[nb 3] the United States,[nb 4] and Uruguay.
Same-sex marriage is recognized, but not performed, in Israel[citation needed] and Namibia[citation needed]. Furthermore, same-sex marriages performed elsewhere in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are recognized in Sint Maarten. Whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry has been and remains the topic of debate worldwide. 32 countries and four jurisdictions worldwide have passed constitutional amendments that explicitly prohibit the legal recognition of same-sex marriage and sometimes other forms of legal unions as well. Sixteen countries and 34 jurisdictions worldwide have authorized civil unions or unregistered cohabitation for same-sex couples as an alternative to marriage. The legal name of those unions as well as the number of rights that they provide can vary greatly.
Legislative efforts to recognise same-sex unions
[edit]National level
[edit]The first legislation of unregistered cohabitation was introduced in the Netherlands in June 1979.[1][2] However, the first substantial recognition of same-sex couples did not occur before the introduction of a new legal form, that of registered partnerships, which was first enacted in Denmark in June 1989.[3] Many countries have followed with similar legislation since then. Legislation of these forms of legal unions still occur with a variety of different names, even after the introduction of same sex marriage, although sometimes they are overwritten by subsequent legislation of same-sex marriage.
As of 30 October 2024, certain alternative form of legal recognition other than marriage has been allowed on a national level in Bolivia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, and San Marino.
As of 30 October 2024, legislation to allow an alternative form of legal recognition of same-sex couples other than marriage is pending, or has passed at least one legislative house on a national level in Kosovo and Poland.
As of 30 October 2024, same-sex marriage has been legal (nationwide or in some parts) in Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands,[nb 1] New Zealand,[nb 2] Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom,[nb 3] the United States,[nb 4] and Uruguay.
As of 30 October 2024, legislation to allow same-sex marriage is being considered in at least one legislative house on a national level in Italy and Japan.
Country | Date | Same-sex union | Upper house | Lower house | Head of state | Law enacted? | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | No | Yes | No | |||||
Netherlands | June 1979 | Unregistered cohabitation[1][2] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Netherlands | December 1980 | Unregistered cohabitation (expansion)[1][2] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Netherlands | November 1984 | Unregistered cohabitation (expansion)[1][2] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Denmark | June 1986 | Unregistered cohabitation[2][4][5] | — | 78 | 62 | Signed | Yes | |
Sweden | June 1987 | Unregistered cohabitation[6] | — | Passed | —[a 1] | Yes | ||
Denmark | June 1989 | Registered partnership[7][8] | — | 71 | 47 | Signed | Yes[a 2] | |
Norway | July 1991 | Unregistered cohabitation[9] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Norway | April 1993 | Registered partnership[10] | 18 | 16 | 58 | 40 | Signed | Yes[a 2] |
Sweden | June 1994 | Registered partnership[11] | — | 171 | 141 | —[a 1] | Yes[a 2] | |
Spain | November 1994 | Unregistered cohabitation[2] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Hungary | May 1996 | Unregistered cohabitation[2][12] | — | 207 | 73 | Signed | Yes | |
Iceland | June 1996 | Confirmed cohabitation[13][14] | — | 44 | 1 | Signed | Yes[a 2] | |
Slovakia | May 1997 | Registered partnership[15] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Netherlands | July 1997 | Registered partnership[1] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Czech Republic | June 1998 | Registered partnership[16] | — | — | Failed | — | No | |
France | October 1998 | Civil solidarity pact[17] | — | — | Failed | — | No | |
Belgium | January 1999 | Legal cohabitation[18][19] | 39 | 8 | 98 | 10 | Signed | Yes |
Sweden | March 1999 | Registered partnership (expansion)[20] | — | Passed | —[a 1] | Yes[a 2] | ||
Denmark | June 1999 | Registered partnership (expansion: adoption rights)[21] | — | 61 | 48 | Signed | Yes[a 2] | |
France | November 1999 | Civil Solidarity Pact and Concubinage[22] | Passed | 315 | 249 | Signed | Yes | |
Czech Republic | December 1999 | Registered partnership[23] | — | — | 69 | 91 | — | No |
Slovakia | February 2000 | Registered partnership[15] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Canada | April 2000 | Common-law partnership[24][25][26] | Passed | 174 | 72 | Signed | Yes | |
Iceland | May 2000 | Confirmed cohabitation (expansion: adoption and immigration rights)[27] | — | 49 | 1 | Signed | Yes[a 2] | |
Netherlands | December 2000 | Marriage[28][29] | 49 | 26 | 109 | 33 | Signed | Yes |
Norway | December 2000 | Registered partnership (expansion)[9][30] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes[a 2] | ||
Germany | February 2001 | Registered life partnership[31] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes[a 2] | ||
Portugal | March 2001 | De facto union[32][33] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
New Zealand | April 2001 | De facto relationship[34] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Czech Republic | April 2001 | Unregistered cohabitation[35] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Norway | June 2001 | Registered partnership (expansion: adoption rights)[36][37] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes[a 2] | ||
Finland | September 2001 | Registered partnership[38] | — | 99 | 84 | Signed | Yes | |
Czech Republic | October 2001 | Registered partnership[39] | — | — | Failed | — | No | |
Sweden | June 2002 | Registered partnership (expansion: adoption rights)[40] | — | Passed | —[a 1] | Yes[a 2] | ||
Belgium | February 2003 | Marriage[41] | 46 | 15 | 91 | 22 | Signed | Yes |
Denmark | May 2003 | Registered partnership (expansion)[42] | — | 49 | 60 | — | No | |
Denmark | May 2003 | Registered partnership (expansion)[43] | — | 45 | 60 | — | No | |
Denmark | May 2003 | Registered partnership (expansion)[44] | — | 43 | 61 | — | No | |
Denmark | June 2003 | Registered partnership (expansion)[45] | — | 11 | 94 | — | No | |
Croatia | July 2003 | Unregistered cohabitation[46] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Luxembourg | May 2004 | Free union[47] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Luxembourg | May 2004 | Marriage[48] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Luxembourg | July 2004 | Partnership[49] | — | 33 | 7 | Signed | Yes | |
Panama | September 2004 | Civil union[50] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Germany | October 2004 | Registered life partnership (expansion: adoption rights)[51] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes[a 2] | ||
Norway | November 2004 | Marriage[52] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
United Kingdom | November 2004 | Civil partnership[53] | 251 | 136 | 426 | 49 | Signed | Yes |
New Zealand | November 2004 | De facto relationship (expansion)[54] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
New Zealand | December 2004 | Civil union[55] | — | 65 | 55 | Signed | Yes | |
Czech Republic | February 2005 | Registered partnership[56] | — | — | Failed | — | No | |
Andorra | March 2005 | Stable couple union[57] | — | Passed | Signed [a 3] | Yes | ||
Slovenia | March 2005 | Registered partnership[58] | —[a 4] | Failed | — | No | ||
New Zealand | March 2005 | Civil union and de facto relationship (expansion)[59][60] | — | 76 | 43 | Signed | Yes | |
Sweden | June 2005 | Registered partnership (expansion)[61] | — | Passed | —[a 1] | Yes[a 2] | ||
Switzerland | June 2005 | Registered partnership[62] | Passed | Passed | — | Yes | ||
Specific referendum (58.04%) | ||||||||
Spain | July 2005 | Marriage[63] | Vetoed [a 5] | 183 | 136 | Signed | Yes | |
Canada | July 2005 | Marriage[64] | 47 | 21 | 158 | 133 | Signed | Yes |
Slovenia | July 2005 | Partnership[65] | —[a 4] | 44 | 3 | Signed | Yes | |
Croatia | October 2005 | Registered partnership[66] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Czech Republic | March 2006 | Registered partnership[67] | 65 | 14 | 86 | 54 | Vetoed [a 6] | Yes |
Belgium | May 2006 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[68][69] | 34 | 33 | 77 | 62 | Signed | Yes |
Spain | May 2006 | Marriage (expansion: medically assisted reproduction)[70] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Denmark | June 2006 | Registered partnership (expansion)[71] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes[a 2] | ||
Iceland | June 2006 | Confirmed cohabitation (expansion)[72][73] | — | 41 | 0 | Signed | Yes[a 2] | |
France | June 2006 | Civil Solidarity Pact (expansion)[74] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
South Africa | November 2006 | Marriage and civil partnership[75] | 36 | 11 | 229 | 41 | Signed | Yes |
Portugal | December 2006 | De facto union (expansion: immigration rights)[76] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Finland | December 2006 | Registered partnership (expansion)[77][78] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Spain | March 2007 | Marriage (expansion: automatic co-parenthood)[70] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Colombia | June 2007 | Civil union[79] | 29 | 34 | 62 | 43 | — | No |
Hungary | December 2007 | Registered partnership[80] | — | 185 | 154 | Signed | No[a 7] | |
Uruguay | December 2007 | Cohabitation union[81][82] | 17 | 5 | Passed | Signed | Yes | |
Iceland | May 2008 | Confirmed cohabitation (expansion)[83][84] | — | 54 | 0 | Signed | Yes[a 2] | |
Norway | June 2008 | Marriage[85] | 23 | 17 | 84 | 41 | Signed | Yes |
Ecuador | September 2008 | De facto union[86] | General constitutional referendum (69.46%) | Yes | ||||
Portugal | October 2008 | Marriage[87] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Portugal | October 2008 | Marriage[87] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
United Kingdom | November 2008 | Civil partnership (expansion)[88] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Australia | November 2008 | De facto relationship[89] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Sweden | April 2009 | Marriage[90] | — | 261 | 22 | —[a 1] | Yes | |
Hungary | April 2009 | Registered partnership[91][92] | — | 199 | 159 | Signed | Yes | |
France | May 2009 | Recognition of unions performed abroad as PACS[93] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Finland | May 2009 | Registered partnership (expansion: adoption rights)[94] | — | 108 | 29 | Signed | Yes | |
Denmark | June 2009 | Registered partnership (expansion)[95] | — | 107 | 2 | Signed | Yes[a 2] | |
Portugal | August 2009 | De facto union (expansion: inheritance rights)[96] | — | Passed | Vetoed | No | ||
Uruguay | September 2009 | Cohabitation union (expansion: adoption rights)[97][98] | 17 | 6 | 40 | 13 | Signed | Yes |
Austria | December 2009 | Registered partnership[99] | 44 | 8 | 110 | 64 | Signed | Yes |
Portugal | January 2010 | Marriage[100] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Portugal | January 2010 | Marriage[101] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Portugal | January 2010 | Registered civil union[102] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Australia | February 2010 | Marriage[103] | 5 | 45 | — | — | — | No |
Portugal | May 2010 | Marriage[104] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Denmark | May 2010 | Registered partnership (expansion: adoption rights)[105] | — | 60 | 54 | Signed | Yes[a 2] | |
Denmark | June 2010 | Marriage[106] | — | 52 | 57 | — | No | |
Iceland | June 2010 | Marriage[107][108] | — | 49 | 0 | Signed | Yes | |
Ireland | July 2010 | Civil partnership and unregistered cohabitation[109][110] | 48 | 4 | Passed | Signed | Yes | |
Argentina | July 2010 | Marriage[111] | 33 | 27 | 126 | 110 | Signed | Yes |
Luxembourg | August 2010 | Partnership (expansion)[112] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Portugal | August 2010 | De facto union (expansion: inheritance rights)[113][114] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Germany | September 2010 | Marriage[115] | Failed | — | — | No | ||
Germany | October 2010 | Registered life partnership (expansion: tax law)[116] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Germany | April 2011 | Registered life partnership (expansion: tax law and adoption rights)[117] | Failed | — | — | No | ||
Liechtenstein | June 2011 | Registered partnership[118] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Specific referendum (68.76%) | ||||||||
France | June 2011 | Marriage[119] | — | — | 222 | 293 | — | No |
Germany | June 2011 | Registered life partnership (expansion: tax law)[120] | Failed | — | — | No | ||
Portugal | February 2012 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[121] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Portugal | February 2012 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[121] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Slovenia | March 2012 | Partnership (expansion)[122] | Specific referendum (45.36%) | No | ||||
Israel | May 2012 | Marriage[123] | — | 11 | 39 | — | No | |
Denmark | June 2012 | Marriage[124] | — | 85 | 24 | Signed | Yes | |
Germany | June 2012 | Marriage[125][126] | — | — | 260 | 309 | — | No |
San Marino | June 2012 | Unregistered cohabitation (only one entitlement)[127] | — | 33 | 20 | Signed | Yes | |
Australia | September 2012 | Marriage[128] | — | — | 42 | 98 | — | No |
Australia | September 2012 | Marriage[129] | 26 | 41 | — | — | — | No |
Germany | October 2012 | Registered life partnership (expansion: tax law)[130] | — | — | 253 | 288 | — | No |
Slovakia | November 2012 | Registered partnership[131] | — | 14 | 94 | — | No | |
Poland | January 2013 | Registered partnership[132][133] | — | — | Failed | — | No | |
Poland | January 2013 | Registered partnership[134][135] | — | — | Failed | — | No | |
Poland | January 2013 | Registered partnership[136] | — | — | Failed | — | No | |
Poland | January 2013 | Registered partnership[137] | — | — | Failed | — | No | |
Poland | January 2013 | Partnership agreement[138][139] | — | — | Failed | — | No | |
Germany | March 2013 | Registered life partnership (expansion: tax law)[140][141] | Passed | — | — | — | No | |
Germany | March 2013 | Marriage[142] | Passed | — | — | — | No | |
New Zealand | April 2013 | Marriage[143] | — | 77 | 44 | Signed | Yes | |
Colombia | April 2013 | Marriage[144] | 17 | 51 | — | — | — | No |
Uruguay | May 2013 | Marriage[145][146] | 23 | 8 | 71 | 21 | Signed | Yes |
Portugal | May 2013 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[147] | — | 77 | 104 | — | No | |
Portugal | May 2013 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[147] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Portugal | May 2013 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[147] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
France | May 2013 | Marriage[148][149] | 171 | 165 | 331 | 225 | Signed | Yes |
Australia | June 2013 | Recognition of marriage performed abroad[150] | 28 | 44 | — | — | — | No |
Germany | July 2013 | Registered life partnership (expansion: tax law)[151][152] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes[a 2] | ||
United Kingdom (England and Wales) | July 2013 | Marriage[153][154] | Passed | 366 | 161 | Signed | Yes | |
Austria | July 2013 | Registered partnership (expansion: adoption rights)[155][156] | 45 | 8 | Passed | Signed | Yes | |
Philippines | October 2013 | Registered partnership[157] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Netherlands | December 2013 | Marriage (expansion: automatic co-parenthood)[158][159] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Portugal | March 2014 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[160] | — | 107 | 112 | — | No | |
Malta | April 2014 | Civil union[161] | — | 37 | 0 | Signed | Yes | |
Belgium | May 2014 | Marriage (expansion: automatic co-parenthood)[162][163] | 48 | 2 | 114 | 10 | Signed | Yes |
Germany | May 2014 | Registered life partnership (expansion: adoption rights)[164][165] | — | — | 111 | 432 | — | No |
Andorra | May 2014 | Marriage[166][167] | — | 6 | 21 | — | No | |
Germany | June 2014 | Registered life partnership (expansion: adoption rights)[168] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes[a 2] | ||
Romania | June 2014 | Civil partnership[169][170] | 2 | 110 | 4 | 298 | — | No |
Luxembourg | June 2014 | Marriage[171][172] | — | 56 | 4 | —[a 8] | Yes | |
Croatia | July 2014 | Life partnership[173] | — | 89 | 16 | —[a 9] | Yes | |
Germany | July 2014 | Registered life partnership (expansion: tax law)[174][175][176] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes[a 2] | ||
San Marino | September 2014 | Recognition of marriage performed abroad[177] | — | 15 | 35 | — | No | |
Argentina | October 2014 | Cohabitation union[178][179] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Andorra | December 2014 | Civil union[180][181] | — | 20 | 3 | Signed | Yes | |
Portugal | January 2015 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[182][183] | — | 89 | 119 | — | No | |
Portugal | January 2015 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[182][183] | — | 91 | 119 | — | No | |
Portugal | January 2015 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[182][183] | — | 91 | 120 | — | No | |
Portugal | January 2015 | Marriage (expansion: medically assisted reproduction)[182][183] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Ireland | April 2015 | Civil partnership and unregistered cohabitation (expansion: step-adoption rights)[184][185] | 20 | 2 | Passed | Signed | Yes | |
Chile | April 2015 | Civil union agreement[186][187] | 25 | 6 | 78 | 9 | Signed | Yes |
Ecuador | June 2015 | De facto union (expansion)[188][189][190][191] | — | 89 | 1 | Signed | Yes | |
Israel | July 2015 | Civil union[192] | — | 39 | 50 | — | No | |
Israel | July 2015 | Marriage[192] | — | 39 | 50 | — | No | |
Ireland | August 2015 | Marriage (constitutional amendment)[193] | 29 | 3 | Passed | Signed | Yes | |
Specific constitutional referendum (62.07%) | ||||||||
October 2015 | Marriage (statutory legislation)[194][195][196] | Passed | Passed | Signed | ||||
Germany | November 2015 | Registered life partnership (expansion)[197][198] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes[a 2] | ||
Cyprus | December 2015 | Civil cohabitation[199][200] | — | 39 | 12 | Signed | Yes | |
Romania | December 2015 | Civil partnership[201][202][203] | 8 | 49 | Failed | — | No | |
Slovenia | December 2015 | Marriage[204][205] | —[a 4] | 51 | 28 | — | No | |
Specific referendum (36.53%) | ||||||||
Greece | December 2015 | Cohabitation agreement[206] | — | 194 | 55 | Signed | Yes | |
Estonia | October 2014 | Cohabitation agreement (framework law)[207][208] | — | 40 | 38 | Signed | Yes | |
January 2016 | Cohabitation agreement (implementation law)[209][210] | — | Failed | — | No | |||
Portugal | February 2016 | Marriage and de facto union (expansion: adoption rights)[211] | — | Passed | Vetoed [a 6] | Yes | ||
Israel | February 2016 | Civil union[212] | — | 40 | 47 | — | No | |
Switzerland | March 2016 | Registered partnership (expansion: immigration rights)[213][214] | — | — | 122 | 62 | — | No |
Luxembourg | April 2016 | Recognition of marriage performed abroad before 1 January 2015[215] | — | 50 | 3 | —[a 8] | Yes | |
Slovenia | April 2016 | Partnership (expansion)[216][217] | —[a 4] | 54 | 15 | —[a 9] | Yes | |
Italy | May 2016 | Civil union and cohabitation agreement[218][219][220] | 173 | 71 | 372 | 51 | Signed | Yes |
Portugal | June 2016 | Marriage and de facto union (expansion: medically assisted reproduction)[221] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Switzerland | June 2016 | Registered partnership (expansion: adoption rights)[222][223] | 25 | 14 | 125 | 68 | — | Yes |
Liechtenstein | November 2016 | Registered partnership (expansion)[224][225] | — | 25 | 0 | Signed | Yes | |
Greece | December 2016 | Cohabitation agreement (expansion)[226][227] | — | 201 | 21 | Signed | Yes | |
Austria | December 2016 | Registered partnership (expansion)[228] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Finland | February 2015 | Marriage (framework law)[229] | — | 101 | 90 | Signed | Yes | |
April 2016 | Marriage (implementation laws)[230][231][232] | — | 106 | 42 | Signed | |||
January 2017 | — | 128 | 28 | Signed | ||||
Malta | April 2017 | Cohabitation[233] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Lithuania | June 2017 | Partnership[234][235] | — | 29 | 59 | — | No | |
Ireland | July 2017 | Civil partnership and unregistered cohabitation (expansion: adoption rights)[236][237] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Germany | July 2017 | Marriage[238][239][240] | Passed | 393 | 226 | Signed | Yes | |
Malta | August 2017 | Marriage[241][242] | — | 66 | 1 | Signed | Yes | |
China | October 2017 | Legal Guardianship[243] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Philippines | October 2017 | Civil partnership[244] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Chile | November 2017 | Civil union agreement (expansion)[245][246][247][248] | 15 | 0 | 70 | 0 | Signed | Yes |
Australia | December 2017 | Marriage[249][250] | 43 | 12 | 131 | 4 | Signed | Yes |
Finland | April 2018 | Marriage (expansion: automatic co-parenthood)[251] | — | 122 | 42 | Signed | Yes | |
Greece | May 2018 | Cohabitation agreement (expansion: foster care)[252][253] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Israel | June 2018 | Marriage[254] | — | 39 | 42 | — | No | |
Malta | June 2018 | Marriage, civil union and cohabitation (expansion: medically assisted reproduction)[255][256] | — | 34 | 27 | Signed | Yes | |
Slovakia | September 2018 | Registered partnership[257][258] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
San Marino | November 2018 | Civil union[259][260] | — | 40 | 4 | Signed | Yes | |
Mexico | November 2018 | Marriage (codification of federal recognition)[261][262][263][264][265] | 110 | 0 | 415 | 0 | Published | Yes |
Cuba | December 2018 | Marriage[266][267] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Germany | December 2018 | Marriage (codification)[268][269] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Romania | March 2019 | Civil partnership[270][271][272] | 2 | 68 | Failed | — | No | |
Taiwan | May 2019 | Marriage[273][274] | — | 66 | 27 | Signed | Yes | |
Philippines | July 2019 | Civil partnership[275][276] | — | Failed | — | No | ||
Philippines | July 2019 | Registered partnership[277] | Failed | — | — | No | ||
Austria | July 2019 | Marriage (expansion)[278][279] | Passed | Passed | — | Yes | ||
United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) | July 2019 | Marriage[280][281] | Passed | 328 | 65 | Signed | Yes | |
Montenegro | July 2019 | Life partnership[282] | — | 38 | 4 | — | No | |
Monaco | December 2019 | Cohabitation agreement[283] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Montenegro | July 2020 | Life partnership[284] | — | 42 | 5 | Signed | Yes | |
Lithuania | May 2021 | Partnership[285] | — | 63 | 58 | — | No | |
San Marino | June 2021 | Civil union (expansion)[286] | — | 31 | 1 | Signed | Yes | |
France | August 2021 | Marriage (expansion: medically assisted reproduction)[287][288][289] | 326 | 115 | Passed | Signed | Yes | |
Switzerland | September 2021 | Marriage[290][291][292] | 22 | 15 | 132 | 52 | — | Yes |
Specific referendum (64.10%) | ||||||||
Chile | December 2021 | Marriage[293][294][295][296][297] | 21 | 8 | 80 | 20 | Signed | Yes |
Costa Rica | May 2022 | De facto union[298] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Andorra | August 2022 | Marriage[299][300] | — | 18 | 6 | Signed | Yes | |
Cuba | July 2022 | Marriage and civil union[301] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
September 2022 | Specific Referendum (66.87%)[302] | |||||||
Slovenia | October 2022 | Marriage and adoption rights (codification)[303][304] | 17 | 11 | 48 | 29 | Suspensory Veto | Yes |
— | 51 | 24 | Published | |||||
Slovakia | October 2022 | Civil cohabitation[305] | — | 31 | 53 | — | No | |
United States | December 2022 | Marriage (codification of federal recognition; requiring states and territories to recognize)[306] | 61 | 36 | 259 | 168 | Signed | Yes |
Latvia | December 2022 | Civil union[307] | — | — | Failed | No | ||
Peru | December 2022 | Marriage[308] | — | — | Failed | No | ||
Andorra | January 2023 | Marriage (codification)[309] | — | 23 | 1 | Signed | Yes | |
Taiwan | June 2023 | Marriage (expansion: adoption rights)[310] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Estonia | June 2023 | Marriage[311][312] | — | 55 | 34 | Signed | Yes | |
Latvia | January 2024 | Partnership[313][314] | — | 53 | 43 | Signed | Yes | |
Greece | February 2024 | Marriage[315][316] | — | 175 | 77 | Signed | Yes | |
Czech Republic | April 2024 | Partnership (expansion) [317][318][319] | Passed | 123 | 36 | Signed | Yes | |
Liechtenstein | May 2024 | Marriage[320][321] | — | 24 | 1 | Signed | Yes | |
Thailand | June 2024 | Marriage | 130 | 4 | 400 | 10 | Signed | Yes |
Italy | Unknown | Marriage[322][323] | Proposed | Proposed | ||||
Japan | Unknown | Marriage[324] | Proposed | |||||
Kosovo | Unknown | Civil union[325] | — | Proposed | ||||
Poland | Unknown | Civil partnership[326] | Proposed | Proposed |
Notes:
- ^ a b c d e f According to the 1974 Constitution, the King of Sweden is head of state but does not sign or veto any laws enacted by Parliament.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Replaced by the gender-neutral marriage law.
- ^ Only one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra signed the law.
- ^ a b c d The Slovenian Parliament is incompletely bicameral.
- ^ The Spanish Senate voted 131 "yes" to 119 "no" to veto the law. The veto was later overridden by the Spanish Congress of Deputies.
- ^ a b Veto overridden.
- ^ Ruled unconstitutional.
- ^ a b Since the 2008 constitutional change, the assent of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg is not required for the enactment of laws adopted by the Parliament.
- ^ a b The President merely promulgates the laws adopted by the Parliament.
Sub-national level
[edit]In countries with a federal system of governance, states and territories often may grant recognition to same-sex couples in their own jurisdictions, although unitary states with a level of devolution, such as Spain or the United Kingdom, also offer such powers to local authorities. The first jurisdiction to enact unregistered cohabitation was British Columbia in Canada in July 1992. The first jurisdiction to legalize registered partnership was Greenland as part of the Kingdom of Denmark in April 1996. Finally, the first sub-national jurisdiction to legalize same-sex marriage was the Canadian province of Ontario in June 2003.
As of 30 October 2024, there are 32 sub-national jurisdictions worldwide that have legalized some kind of alternative form of legal union of same-sex couples other than marriage. Those are:
- In Japan:
- 30 prefectures of Japan (Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hyōgo, Ibaraki, Kagawa, Mie, Nagano, Nara, Niigata, Osaka, Ōita, Saga, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, and Yamanashi);
- Two British overseas territories (Bermuda, Cayman Islands).
For the time being, 63 sub-national jurisdictions worldwide have legalized same-sex marriage in nations where same-sex marriage is not legal throughout the nation's territory. Those are:
- Fifty-one Native American Tribal Nations, namely the Ak-Chin Indian Community, the Bay Mills Indian Community, the Blackfeet Nation, the Blue Lake Rancheria, the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, the Cherokee Nation, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, the Chickasaw Nation, the Choctaw Nation, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, the Coquille Indian Tribe, the Eastern Shoshone Tribe, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, the Grand Portage Band of Chippewa, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Hannahville Indian Community, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin, the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, the Northern Arapaho Tribe, the Oglala Sioux Tribe, the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, the Osage Nation, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, the Prairie Island Indian Community, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, the Suquamish Tribe, the Tulalip, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota, the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, and the Yavapai-Apache Nation.
- The British Overseas Territories of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, the British Antarctic Territory, the British Indian Ocean Territory, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, the Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and the British Crown dependencies of Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey, and Guernsey's own dependencies of Alderney and Sark.
- Aruba and Curaçao, constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
State/Territory | Country | Date | Same-sex union | Upper House | Lower house | Head of State | Law enacted? | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | No | Yes | No | ||||||
British Columbia | Canada | July 1992 | Marriage-like relationship[327][328] | — | 30 | 17 | Signed | Yes | |
British Columbia | Canada | July 1993 | Marriage-like relationship (expansion)[329] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
British Columbia | Canada | July 1993 | Marriage-like relationship (expansion)[330] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
British Columbia | Canada | July 1993 | Marriage-like relationship (expansion)[331] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Australian Capital Territory | Australia | May 1994 | Domestic relationship[332] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Ontario | Canada | June 1994 | Domestic partnership[333] | — | 58 | 69 | — | No | |
British Columbia | Canada | June 1995 | Marriage-like relationship (expansion)[334] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
British Columbia | Canada | July 1995 | Marriage-like relationship (expansion: adoption rights)[335] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Greenland | Denmark | May 1993 | Inatsisartut: Registered partnership (resolution)[336] | — | 15 | 0 | — | Yes | |
April 1996 | Folketing: Registered partnership (statutory law)[337][338] | — | 104 | 1 | Signed | ||||
Ceuta | Spain | April 1997 | De facto union[339] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
British Columbia | Canada | July 1997 | Marriage-like relationship (expansion)[340] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Catalonia | Spain | June 1998 | Stable couple union[341][342] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Yukon | Canada | December 1998 | Unregistered cohabitation[343] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Aragon | Spain | March 1999 | Stable non-married couple[341][344] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Yukon | Canada | April 1999 | Unregistered cohabitation (expansion)[345][346] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Alberta | Canada | May 1999 | Unregistered cohabitation[347] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Quebec | Canada | May 1999 | De facto union[348] | — | 80 | 0 | Signed | Yes | |
New South Wales | Australia | June 1999 | De facto relationship[349] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
British Columbia | Canada | July 1999 | Marriage-like relationship (expansion)[350] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Ontario | Canada | October 1999 | Conjugal relationship[351] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Navarre | Spain | July 2000 | Stable couple[341][352] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Castile-La Mancha | Spain | July 2000 | De facto couple[353] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
British Columbia | Canada | July 2000 | Marriage-like relationship (expansion)[354] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Australian Capital Territory | Australia | August 2000 | Domestic relationship (expansion)[355] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Nova Scotia | Canada | November 2000 | Domestic partnership[356][357] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada | December 2000 | Conjugal relationship[358] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
New Brunswick | Canada | December 2000 | Family relationship[359] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Geneva | Switzerland | February 2001 | Registered partnership[360][361] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Valencia | Spain | April 2001 | De facto union[362] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Victoria | Australia | June 2001 | Domestic relationship[363] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Manitoba | Canada | July 2001 | Common-law relationships[364] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Saskatchewan | Canada | July 2001 | Spousal relationship[365] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Saskatchewan | Canada | July 2001 | Spousal relationship (expansion: adoption rights)[366] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Victoria | Australia | November 2001 | Domestic relationship (expansion)[367] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada | December 2001 | Conjugal relationship (expansion)[368] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Balearic Islands | Spain | December 2001 | Stable couple[369] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Madrid | Spain | December 2001 | De facto union[341][370] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Newfoundland and Labrador | Canada | April 2002 | Conjugal relationship (expansion: adoption rights)[371] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Western Australia | Australia | April 2002 | De facto relationship[372] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Yukon | Canada | May 2002 | Unregistered cohabitation (expansion: adoption rights)[373] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Asturias | Spain | May 2002 | Stable couple[374] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Northwest Territories | Canada | June 2002 | Unregistered cohabitation[345][375] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Quebec | Canada | June 2002 | Civil union[376] | — | 87 | 0 | Signed | Yes | |
Manitoba | Canada | August 2002 | Common-law relationship (expansion: adoption rights)[377] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Manitoba | Canada | August 2002 | Common-law relationship (expansion)[378] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Zürich | Switzerland | September 2002 | Registered partnership[379] | Specific cantonal referendum (62.70%) | Yes | ||||
New South Wales | Australia | October 2002 | De facto relationship (expansion)[380][381] | Passed | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Castile and León | Spain | October 2002 | De facto union[382] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Alberta | Canada | December 2002 | Adult interdependent relationship[383] | — | Passed | Signed | Yes | ||
Queensland | Australia | December 2002 | De facto relationship[384] |