Germany Could Have Same-Sex Marriage - Angela Merkel Reveals Change of Heart

The Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, could vote to legalize same-sex marriage as early as this week, after Chancellor Angela Merkel’s surprise announcement that she no longer objects to a vote on the measure.


Merkel, who had previously voiced reservations about marriage equality, and allowing gay and lesbian couples the right to adopt children, was pressed on her opposition to equal marriage during a forum organized by a German women’s magazine, Brigitte, on Monday night.

Mrs. #Merkel ... https://t.co/ROPYEKlXx0 #ehefüralle pic.twitter.com/K7f8ZTJqgx

— LSVD-Bundesverband (@lsvd) August 14, 2015

The chancellor described having a change of heart recently after meeting a lesbian couple raising eight foster children. As a result, she said, she was now willing to allow a marriage equality measure to be introduced into parliament and would permit members of her Christian Democratic Union to vote their consciences.

While some conservative Christian Democrats are expected to vote against the measure, there is overwhelming support among Germany’s population and other major parties for equal marriage, making it likely to be approved.

83% Germans support same-sex marriages. The society is more progressive than it's own politicians. https://t.co/6QdkqX2bPy

— Maciek Zabierowski (@maciekzee) January 13, 2017

Hours after Merkel’s comments, her main rival in the upcoming general election, Martin Schulz of the Social Democrats, said that his party would push through “Ehe für alle,” or marriage for all, “this week.”

Huge excitement in #Berlin: after #Merkel said same-sex-marriage is a "question of conscience", her opponent #Schulz wants to pin that down. pic.twitter.com/WztN0f4bnn

— DW | Politics (@dw_politics) June 27, 2017

as reported via: theintercept.com