Same-sex marriage in Iceland

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Same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage legislation Timeline of same-sex marriage Recognition of same-sex unions in Europe Marriage privatization Civil union Domestic partnership Listings by country
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Same-sex marriage (Icelandic: Hjónaband samkynhneigðra) has been legal in Iceland since June 27, 2010. The bill providing a gender-neutral marriage definition was passed by the Icelandic Althing on June 11, 2010.^[1] No members of parliament voted against the bill, and public opinion polls suggest that the bill is very popular in Iceland.^[2] Iceland became the ninth country in the world to have legalized same-sex marriage.

Registered partnership

Laws regarding same-sex partnerships in Europe

  Same-sex marriage

  Other type of partnership

  Unregistered cohabitation

  Issue under political consideration

  Unrecognized

  Constitution limits marriage to man–woman

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Registered partnerships (Icelandic: staðfest samvist) for gay and lesbian couples were introduced in Iceland in 1996.^[3] This legislation was repealed with the passing of the gender-neutral marriage law.

The legislation granted the same range of protections, responsibilities and benefits as marriage, and was only available to same-sex couples. A registered partner could adopt the other partner’s child, unless the child was adopted from a foreign country. All parties in the Alþingi, the Icelandic Parliament, were in favour of the law; only one member of the conservative Independence Party (Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) voted against it.^[4][5][6]

On June 2, 2006 Parliament voted for legislation granting same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexuals in adoption, parenting and assisted insemination treatment. No member of Parliament voted against the proposal and the law came into effect on June 27 2006.^[7]

An amendment which took force on June 27, 2008 allowed the Church of Iceland and other religious groups to bless same-sex registered partnerships.^[8]

Notable Icelandic individuals joined in civil union include the current Prime Minister, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, and her partner, Jónína Leósdóttir.^[9][10] On 27 June 2010, they had their registered partnership transformed into a recognized marriage.^[11][12]

Same-sex marriage

The Government of Iceland, elected in April 2009, announced the introduction of a gender-neutral Marriage Act at some point in the future. The 'Government Coalition Platform of the Social Democratic Alliance and Left-Green Movement', published on the 19 May 2009 stated that "A single marriage act will be adopted." Though it was not explicitly stated, it implied that the act would be gender-neutral.^[13][14] The opposition Progress Party also supported gender-neutral marriage.^[15]

On 18 November 2009, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Ragna Árnadóttir, confirmed that the Icelandic Government was working on a "single marriage act" which would include both opposite-sex and same-sex couples.^[16] On 23 March 2010, the Government presented a bill to repeal the registered partnership law and allow couples to marry regardless of gender.^[17][18] On 11 June 2010 the Icelandic Parliament approved the bill 49 to 0, with 14 abstentions.^[19][2][20] The law took effect on 27 June 2010.^[21]

See also

• LGBT rights in Iceland
• Recognition of same-sex unions in Europe

References

1. ^ Dwyer Arce (June 11, 2010). "Iceland parliament approves same-sex marriage legislation". JURIST - Paper Chase. http://jurist.org/paperchase/2010/06/iceland-parliament-approves-same-sex-marriage-legislation.php. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Iceland parliament votes for gay marriage". Icenews.is. 2010-06-13. http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/06/11/iceland-parliament-votes-for-gay-marriage/. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
3. ^ "Iceland : Recognized partnership law, 1996". France.qrd.org. 1996-07-01. http://www.france.qrd.org/texts/partnership/is/iceland-bill.html. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
4. ^ "Partnership Law In Iceland". France.qrd.org. http://www.france.qrd.org/assocs/ilga/euroletter/42.html#Iceland. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
5. ^ "A Victory For Icelandic Lesbians And Gays". France.qrd.org. http://www.france.qrd.org/assocs/ilga/euroletter/43.html#Iceland1. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
6. ^ "Details Of The Icelandic Partnership Law". France.qrd.org. http://www.france.qrd.org/assocs/ilga/euroletter/43.html#Iceland2. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
7. ^ "Important Improvements in Gay and Lesbian Rights in Iceland". Ilga-europe.org. 2006-06-12. http://www.ilga-europe.org/home/guide/country_by_country/iceland/important_improvements_in_gay_and_lesbian_rights_in_iceland. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
8. ^ "First Lesbian Couple in Iceland “Marries” in Church". Icelandreview.com. 2005-12-06. http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/?cat_id=16539&ew_0_a_id=308516. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
9. ^ Prime Minister of Iceland Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, Prime Minister's Office, http://eng.forsaetisraduneyti.is/minister/cv, retrieved 2 February 2009 
10. ^ Moody, Jonas (2009-01-30). "Iceland Picks the World's First Openly Gay PM". Time. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1875032,00.html. Retrieved 2009-01-31. 
11. ^ Peter Lloyd (2010-06-28). "Iceland's Prime Minister marries long-term partner". News.pinkpaper.com. http://news.pinkpaper.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=3298. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
12. ^ "Icelandic PM weds as gay marriage legislation comes into effect". Pinknews.co.uk. 2010-06-28. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/06/28/icelandic-pm-weds-as-gay-marriage-legislation-comes-into-effect/. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
13. ^ "Government Coalition Platform of the Social Democratic Alliance and Left-Green Movement". Eng.forsaetisraduneyti.is. http://eng.forsaetisraduneyti.is/news-and-articles/nr/3730. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
14. ^ "Iceland: Homosexuality and the Law". Gayice.is. 2009-07-30. http://www.gayice.is/articles/gay-life/292-iceland-homosexuality-and-the-law. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
15. ^ (Icelandic) Framsóknarflokkurinn sendir frá sér ályktun um hjónabandslöggjöfina
16. ^ (Icelandic) Unnið að setningu einna hjúskaparlaga, mbl.is, 18 November 2009
17. ^ "Iceland Likely to Permit Gay Marriage by June". Carnalnation.com. 2010-06-27. http://carnalnation.com/content/52178/4/iceland-likely-permit-gay-marriage-june. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
18. ^ "Iceland is fine-tuning marriage-equality bill". Sdgln.com. http://sdgln.com/causes/2010/04/09/iceland-fine-tuning-marriage-equality-bill. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
19. ^ (Icelandic) "Hjúskaparlög, staðfest samvist o.fl. (ein hjúskaparlög)". Alþingi. 2010-06-11. http://www.althingi.is/dba-bin/ferill.pl?ltg=138&mnr=485. Retrieved 2010-06-11. 
20. ^ "Iceland passes gay marriage law in unanimous vote". Reuters.com. 2010-06-11. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65A3V020100611. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
21. ^ "New gay marriage law in Iceland comes into force". Icenews.is. http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/06/28/new-gay-marriage-law-in-iceland-comes-into-force/. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 

External links

• (Icelandic) Text of the bill repealing the registered partnership law and introducing same-sex marriage