Same-sex marriage

Australia became the 26th nation to legalize same-sex marriage on Dec. 7, prompting cheers and singing from a packed parliament public gallery in a country where some states ruled homosexual acts to be illegal until just 20 years ago.

Austria's Constitutional Court has decided that same-sex couples will be allowed to marry by the beginning of 2019, ruling that the existing laws are discriminatory.

The move brings Austria into line with many other European nations including Germany, France, Britain and Spain.

Greece's Supreme Court has annulled a same-sex marriage conducted in 2008 on Tilos by the mayor of the tiny Aegean island.

Judges Thursday upheld a previous order by a Rhodes prosecutor calling such nuptials illegal.

Australian lawmakers on Thursday vowed to push through laws legalizing same-sex marriage by early December, after a national survey found the majority of Australians favored the move, Reuters writes.

Australia’s historic move toward legalizing same-sex marriage could bring businesses a massive windfall of “pink dollars” as tens of thousands of gay couples tie the knot, economists said on Nov. 15.

Australia voted in favor of legalization of same-sex marriage, with nearly 62% supporting the request for a change in law, Nova Television reported.

Celebrations broke out across Australia after a two-month national postal survey came out “overwhelmingly” in favour of legalizing same-sex marriage.
Results released Wednesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed 61% of the population voted to allow same-sex marriage, with 38% voting against.

Germany celebrates the first gay marriage after decades of struggle, though activists claim that the battle for equal rights has not yet ended, reports novini. 

Australia has begun sending out ballots for a non-binding vote on support for legalising same-sex marriage, reported BBC. 

The survey does not have the power to change the law but could lead to a vote in parliament.

Australian political leaders, including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, have said they support the Yes campaign.

The ruling Social Democratic Party in Romania intends to organize a referendum this autumn to limit the constitutional definition of the family. This would effectively exclude the possibility of legalizing same-sex marriages, party leader Liviu Dragnea said, quoted by Reuters.