#GREECE: Parliament Set To Legalize Gay Marriage

[world politics news]

Greece’s parliament is to vote Thursday to legalize same-sex civil marriage in a first for an Orthodox Christian country and despite opposition from the the powerful Greek Church.

As lawmakers debated the bill for a second day, opinion polls suggest that most Greeks support the proposed reform by a narrow margin. The issue has failed to trigger deep divisions in a country more worried about the high cost of living.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#JAPAN: A Fourth Court Says Gays Should Have Marriage Rights

[world politics news]

TOKYO -- Japan's government is under renewed pressure to grant marriage rights to same-sex couples after a fourth court ruled that its failure to do so was at odds with the country's constitution.

The ruling by Fukuoka District Court in southern Japan late last week delivered a boost to the LGBTQ community in the only G7 member state yet to legally recognize same-sex unions. In a case brought by three same-sex couples against the state, the judge found the current lack of marriage equality presents Japan with an "unconstitutional situation."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GHANA: Parliament Will Pass Bill To Criminize Gay Marriage & Gay Rights By 2024 Election

[world politics news]

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has given the clearest indication that the House will pass the controversial Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill before the 2024 election.

Bagbin gave the assurance in a media engagement on Friday, October 28, 2022. “Sexual Rights and Human Values bill that is being handled by the Committee, definitely we will pass it before the next election.We will pass it,” he said.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#LITHUANIA: Parliament Considers Same-Sex Partnership Bill

[world politics news]

Lithuania's parliament has voted to accept a draft bill legalizing same-sex civil partnerships for further debate, after voting down a similar bill in May 2021.

Seventy lawmakers voted in favor and 52 against accepting the measure for discussion, with several opponents raising questions about whether legalizing same-sex partnerships would go against Catholic teachings.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CHILE: Parliament Approves Same-Sex Marriage Bill

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Chile has approved a landmark law allowing same-sex marriage in the historically Catholic country.

The legislation, overwhelmingly approved by parliament on Tuesday, also enables gay couples to adopt children.

The bill was supported by President Sebastián Piñera, who has to sign it into law. But it has been criticized by members of his conservative coalition.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#LITHUANIA: Parliament Votes To Not Debate Bill Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

[world politics news]

Lithuania’s parliament on Tuesday voted narrowly against debating a bill legalizing same-sex civil partnerships, but supporters said they would adjust the proposal and eventually resubmit it to the assembly.

In a razor thin vote, 63 lawmakers voted in favor and 65 against accepting the measure for discussion, with some opponents declaring same-sex partnerships to be a gateway to same-sex marriage, a status they reject.

A representative poll in April commissioned by the president’s office found 70% of adult Lithuanians against same-sex partnerships.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#JAPAN: District Court Rules Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional

[world politics news]

 

A district court in Japan has in a landmark decision ruled that the country's failure to recognise same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

Japan's constitution defines marriage as one

between "both sexes".

But a Sapporo court ruled that this denied the couples constitutionally-guaranteed equality, in what is seen as a symbolic victory for LGBTQ activists.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Award For 1970's Tennis Star Who Condemns Gays Has Politicians Fuming

[world politics news] 

Australian 1970s tennis star Margaret Court, who was once ranked number one in the world, is set to be honored by induction as a Companion of the Order of Australia on Australia Day, this Tuesday, the 26th. 

But the 78-year-old's more recent claim to fame is her denunciation of homosexuality and same-sex marriage, which has made her immanent reciept of the honor controversial Down Under. 

Liberal Party Prime Minister Scott Morrison was eager to sidestep the issue, saying he had “no official knowledge” of the Australia Day honors process, after reports were leaked that Court would receive the nation’s highest award.

“I can’t comment on an award that’s done through an independent process that hasn’t been announced or I have no official knowledge of those,” the Prime Minister told media.

Opposition Labor Party Leader Anthony Albanese said in a tweet that the decision had “nothing to do with tennis.”

"Margaret Court has already been honoured for her tennis prowess. She’s already an Officer of the Order of Australia.

I think it’s clear for everyone to see that making her a Companion of the Order of Australia has nothing to do with tennis." 

Margaret Court has already been honoured for her tennis prowess. She’s already an Officer of the Order of Australia."

The state of Victoria's Premier, Daniel Andrews, slammed the decision to honor her, saying he was “sick of talking about that person every summer." 

"I don't want to give this person's disgraceful, bigoted views any oxygen," he tweeted. 

"But when others insist on rewarding them with this country's highest honour – I think it's worth saying again:

Grand Slam wins don't give you some right to spew hatred and create division. Nothing does."

Green Party Senator Janet Rice also condemned the decision, calling Court an “enemy” of Australian values.

"Reminder (because apparently we have to go over this every year): Margaret Court has said that being LGBTIQ+ is the work "of the devil". She’s compared homosexuality to Hitler. She is an enemy of the values Australians stand for and must not receive our highest honour," fumed Rice, whose anger is explained somewhat by her Twitter profile, which notes that she identifies as "Queer."

But Labor Party member Patrick Gorman, a member of Parliament representing Perth, suggested something constructive.

"Don’t get angry, get active. Nominate someone who *does* deserve an Order of Australia 🇦🇺" and he provided a link to the Governor General's office webpage, where citizens could nominate award recipients.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#MONTENEGRO: Parliament Approves Civil Partnerships For Gay And Lesbian Couples

[world politics news]

Parliament in Montenegro has voted to legalize same-sex civil partnerships, becoming the first country in the region that is not a member of the European Union to recognize gay and lesbian couples in law.

Parliament passed the law with a very narrow majority of MPs from the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, the Social Democrats, the Liberal Party and the opposition Social Democratic Party. The vote was 42 to 5 in the 81-seat chamber.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#COSTARICA: Supreme Court Overturns Gay Marriage Ban

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Costa Rica's Supreme Court has ruled that the country's same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional and discriminatory.

The court ruling gives the country's legislators a time limit of 18 months to change the current law.

The president welcomed the ruling, saying he wants to guarantee "no person will face discrimination for their sexual orientation".

However many lawmakers are evangelicals who strongly oppose gay marriage.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SLOVAKIA: Parliament Votes Down Istanbul Convention On Violence Against Women

[world politics news]

Shortly before Feb. 29 general elections, the Slovak parliament rejected the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women by a crushing majority of votes, with many expressing concern that the document promoted a left-wing ideology at odds with Slovak society.

Slovak politicians indicated that several provisions of the convention clashed with Slovakia's constitution, particularly regarding the definition of marriage between a man and a woman, and concerns that the document was promoting "gender ideology".

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CHINA: Parliament Spokesman Rules Out Gay Marriage Legislation

[world politics news]

A spokesman for China's parliament has ruled out expanding the nation's marriage laws to include gay and lesbian couples.

Zang Tiewei, spokesman for parliament's legal affairs commission, made his remarks at a press conference on Wednesday.

He said that Chinese marriage law only recognizes the relationships of heterosexual couples.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Parliament Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage, Abortion For N. Ireland During Assembly Deadlock

[world politics news]

Parliament has voted resoundingly to extend same-sex marriage and access to abortion to Northern Ireland, bringing the region into line with the rest of the UK on the two significant social issues.

UK legislators voted on the Labour MP's bill because of a months-long deadlock that has rendered Northern Ireland unable to form a government in the region's devolved Assembly.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#TAIWAN: Legislature Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage; First In Asia

[world politics news]

Taiwan has become the first jurisdiction in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage after the legislature approved legislation today.

Starting next Friday, gay couples in Taiwan will be able to register their marriages with government agencies. [FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CUBA: Same-Sex Marriage Language Dropped From Constitutional Revision After Evangelical's Objections

[world politics news]

Cuba's National Assembly has removed language opening the way to the legalization of same-sex marriage from the draft of the country's new constitution to "respect all opinions." The move comes despite the pledge by President Miguel Diaz-Canel to "eliminate all kinds of discrimination from society."

A parliamentary commission responsible for drafting the constitution proposed to omit proposed language defining marriage as the union of "two people ... with absolutely equal rights and obligations." Evangelical churches in the country protested the proposed change and launched a campaign against the new wording. The new constitution will be submitted to a referendum in February next year.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CUBA: Pres. Diaz-Canel Says He Favors Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

[world politics news]

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has publicly spoken out in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage in the Communist Caribbean nation. The Cuban leader, who took over from Raúl Castro in April, said he was in favor of recognizing "marriage between people without any restrictions." In an interview with TV Telesur, he said doing so was, "part of eliminating any type of discrimination in society." It comes as Cuba is in the process of updating its constitution, which had defined marriage as between "a man and a woman."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GREECE: After Divisive Debate, Parliament Grants Gay Couples Right To Become Foster Parents

[world politics news]

A bill allowing same-sex couples to become foster parents has passed in Greece's parliament in a 161 to 103 vote. The vote put an end to a long and heated debate. The legislation grants the right to foster children to couples under civil partnership, but clearly states that they cannot adopt children. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attacked opposition parties for opposing the legislation, accusing them of stoking "anachronistic stereotypes and phobia syndromes."

[FULL STORY HERE]

#BERMUDA: First Nation In The World To Repeal Same-Sex Marriage

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Bermuda has become the first country to legalize and then repeal same-sex marriage, in what critics have called an unprecedented rollback of civil rights by the British island territory. Bermuda’s governor has signed into law a bill reversing the right of gay couples to marry, despite a supreme court ruling last year authorizing same-sex marriage. Gay couples can now only seek domestic partnerships.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRALIA: Overwhelming Support For Same-Sex Marriage In Nationwide Vote

[world politics news]

Over sixty-one percent of Australians voted Yes to legalizing same-sex marriage in a survey by mail. 79% of eligible voters participated. The final count was 7.8 million responses in support of same-sex marriage, and 4.9 million against. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull addressed the nation minutes after the result was announced, promising to bring the same-sex marriage bill to a vote in Parliament before Christmas. "They have spoken in their millions and they have voted overwhelmingly Yes for marriage equality," he said. "They voted Yes for fairness, Yes for commitment, Yes for love. Australian statistician David Kalisch said the final number of responses was 12,727,920 people, representing 79% of eligible Australian voters.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Pictured: Christine Forster, the sister of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, celebrates after watching the same sex marriage vote result. 

#CHILE: Pres. Sends Gay Marriage Bill To Congress

[world politics news]

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has sent legislation to Congress seeking to legalize gay marriage, a move that follows a string of social reforms in one of Latin America's most conservative nations. The bill submitted on Monday would allow gay couples to adopt children and would denote marriage as a "union between two people" rather than between a man and a woman, according to reports.

[FULL STORY HERE]