(LifeSiteNews) — The Estonian Parliament has passed a bill that legalizes homosexual partners to “marry” and adopt children, becoming the first Eastern European nation to do so.
The legislation passed the 101-seat Estonian parliament with 55 votes in favor and will take effect on January 1, 2024, according to Reuters.
The bill was supported by the government coalition of social democratic and liberal parties, led by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
“With this decision we are finally stepping among other Nordic countries as well as all the rest of the democratic countries in the world where marriage equality has been granted,” said Kallas, who described same-sex “marriage” as a “right.”
Same-sex unions have been recognized legally since 2016 in Estonia. In 2014, a majority of Estonians were opposed to the idea of legally recognizing “same-sex unions,” according to a poll by the Estonian Public Broadcasting.
A survey in 2023 showed, however, that the support for homosexual unions and even “marriage” has grown. According to CNN, 53% of Estonians affirmed that “same-sex partners should have the right to marry each other.”
“My message (to central Europe) is that it’s a difficult fight, but marriage and love is something that you have to promote,” Kallas told Reuters after the bill went through parliament.
“We have developed a lot in those 30 years, since we have freed ourselves from the (Soviet) occupation. We are equals among same-value countries,” the prime minister stated.
In a speech given to parliament on June 20, the Catholic Estonian politician Varro Vooglaid said that “Today will go down in Estonian history as a great disgrace, as the government, rightly labeled as a coalition of liars, forcefully pushes through a law that distorts the meaning of marriage, disregarding the reality of human nature and distorting the meaning of marriage in the legal framework of the Republic of Estonia, including same-sex relationships and granting so-called homosexuals the right to adopt children.”
He added that the new law is “defiling the sanctity of marriage” by equating it “with homosexual relationships, which many consider to be immoral.”
“Thus, the meaning of marriage as it has been known in Estonia is destroyed.”
Vooglaid stressed that “[m]arriage and family are not social constructs but institutions based on human nature, whose core lies in the fundamental difference and complementarity between men and women, enabling the continuation of human life.”
“Thus, the creation and upbringing of children and the creation of a supportive environment for that purpose are at the core of the family and marriage institutions.”
Vooglaid vowed that he and other conservatives will fight to abolish the law and “reverse your abuse of state power at the earliest opportunity.”