Voters in Switzerland decided to legalize same-sex marriage on September 26, 2021. It makes Switzerland one of the last countries in Western Europe to do so. Apart from opening up the option of marriage to all couples, government also approved an amendment to Switzerland’s marriage law which was put to voters in a referendum.
This law also grants lesbian couples to get access to sperm banks as well as allows same-sex couples to adopt children. Under the amended law, same-sex couples will be able to have a civil wedding. They will be granted the same institutional and legal rights as heterosexual couples.
They will be granted simplified naturalization for foreign partner.
Law was approved through a referendum, in which polls predicted widespread approval for same-sex marriage in the country.
Same-sex couples in Switzerland have been able to enter into a civil partnership since 2007. It grants them some legal rights. However, it is not equal to a marriage. Italy is the only country in Western Europe which does not allow marriage between same-sex couples. It only allows civil unions.
