Estonia could be about to become first Baltic state to legalise gay marriage
The nation could welcome the landmark law change within weeks
Estonia looks set to become the first ex-Soviet country to implement same-sex marriage.
Lauri Hussar has been the President of the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) since April this year. This was after his party Estonia 200 signed a collation with the Estonian Reform Party and the Social Democratic Party.
He has now spoken about his intentions to support a change in the law ahead of an upcoming vote.
Hussar said a change could be expected in as soon as “two or three weeks”. He explained his plans during an interview with Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT).
“It is not an issue like it has been six or seven years ago, the mood has changed”
When asked if Estonia be the first of the Baltic states to allow same-sex marriage, he said: “I hope so, because we have the Liberal government, we have the liberal Reform Party, we have the social democrats, and I am myself from the party Estonia 200.
“We are the only party which has same-sex marriage in our programme. So, therefore, I think we’re going to do it.”
He added: “It is not an issue like it has been six or seven years ago, the mood has changed.”
Hussar referenced a recent statistic from public opinion polls that showed “more than 50 percent of Estonians are supporting same-sex marriage.”
He pointed out a “very interesting thing” within the discussion. He noted that every society where same-sex marriage has been legalised, “society has moved forward.”
“And almost everybody felt that now it is a little bit more equal society than before,” he continued. “And I think this is what we have to do, because if we were making the civil partnership decision, then there is still another decision ahead, the same-sex marriage decision, and you will have to make it anyway. So why make two steps?
“And anyway, it is too political. […] We hope to adopt the law before July, to make it once, I think it is reasonable enough,” Hussar noted.
A vote is due early next week, which comes just shy of a decade since the nation introduced same-sex civil unions.
This has been the case since 2014, however, it did not give same-sex couples the same adoption and parental rights as marriage.
Meanwhile, fellow Baltic state Lithuania is currently considering a law change to allow for same-sex civil unions, but currently not marriage.