Recognition of gay unions in Norway
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[edit] Civil Unions
Norway has allowed same-sex civil unions since the April 30, 1993 act, which came into force on August 1, 1993.
The Registered Partnership Act grants the virtually all the protections, responsibilities and benefits as marriage, including arrangements for the breakdown of the relationship.
The act states that the articles in the Adoption Act relating to married couples shall not apply for registered partners. It also follows from the Act on Biotechnology that artificial insemination can only be given to a married couple or cohabitants of opposite sexes. In 2002, however, registered partners were allowed to adopt their partner's children.
In 2002, Reuters reported that around 150 couples registered their partnerships each year. One of the more notable people to register their relationships was former Finance Minister Per-Kristian Foss.[1]
[edit] Same sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is currently not legal in Norway.
On May 29, 2008, the Associated Press reported that two Norwegian Opposition parties came out in favour of the new bill, assuring its passage when the vote is held on June 11. Prior to this, there were some disagreements with members of the current three-party governing coalition on whether the bill had enough votes to pass. Now, it is almost certain that the bill will be passed. [2]
The first parliamentary hearing, including the vote, is expected on June 11, 2008. This comes after the Norwegian government proposed a marriage law in March 14, 2008, that would give gay couples the same rights as heterosexuals, including church weddings, adoption and assisted pregnancies. [3] [4]
The new legislation amends the definition of civil marriage to make it gender neutral.
It also says that when a lesbian who is married to another woman becomes pregnant through in vitro fertilization, the partner will have all the rights of parenthood "from the moment of conception".
In the past, a bill was proposed on November 18, 2004 by two MPs from the Socialist Left Party to abolish the existing civil union laws, and make marriage laws gender-neutral. The move was withdrawn, and replaced by a request that the cabinet further investigate the issue. The conservative cabinet of that time did not look into the issue, while the second cabinet Stoltenberg announced a common, unified marriage act as part of its foundation document, the Soria Moria statement. A public hearing was opened on May 16, 2007. [5]
Three different polls conducted by EOS Gallup Europe, Sentio and Synovate MMI in 2003, 2005 and 2007, concluded that respectively 61%, 63% and 66% of the Norwegian population is in support of gender-neutral marriage laws.
link Partnerskapsloven Full text of the partnership act in Norwegian
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