Early October, Possibly
Just weeks after the German Parliament passed a bill legalizing marriage for same-sex couples by an overwhelming margin of 393 to 226, the President of Germany has signed that bill into law.Â
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s signature on Friday means same-sex couples wishing to marry should start planning: the law is expected to become effective October 1, “at the earliest,” the Associated Press reports.
“Marriage is a question of love and responsibility and not of gender,” Katarina Barley, the minister for families, said. Barley, whose center-left party pushed for legalizing same-sex marriage, said that “marriage for everyone makes Germany a more modern country.”
German news site The Local reports the weekly newspaper Die Zeit “explained that state registry offices need time to adapt to the change.”
Ironically, even though she voted against marriage equality, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s statement allowing the bill to come to the floor and lawmakers to vote their conscience on the bill enabled its passage.
The new law will also include the right to adopt.
Last week during Munich Pride the U.S. Consulate congratulated Germany for adopting same-sex marriage.
Two years ago this month Chancellor Merkel announced, “I’m someone who is very supportive of us eliminating all discrimination,” while adding that she didn’t support marriage equality.
“We have come a long way; when I remember, 25 years ago, many people didn’t dare to say that they are gay or lesbian. Luckily we overcame this; you can enter a partnership, a civil partnership,” she said. “For me, personally, marriage is a man and a woman living together.”
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