Finnish gays to get legal 'union'

The Netherlands has similar legislation

HELSINKI, Finland -- Finland plans to legalise homosexual 'union,' giving gays many of the same rights and responsibilities, but not the same status of married couples, officials have said.

Homosexual men and lesbian women will also not be allowed to adopt children.

The Finnish government will begin discussing the issue in parliament next month. But some parties are expected to be split on the matter when the legislation comes to a vote next year.

Social Democrat, Left Alliance and Green party officials said their representatives were likely to vote almost unanimously for the law, while the small Christian League is expected to vote against it.

Officials of the Centre and Conservative parties said they expected their deputies to be split on the issue, but did not comment on the balance between supporters and critics.

A similar bill was narrowly rejected by parliament in 1996 when it ran into conservative resistance.

"I'm sure that some people will oppose it tooth and nail, but I would be disappointed and surprised if it did not pass this time," said Rainer Hiltunen, head of the Finnish National Organisation for Sexual Equality (SETA).

This country of five million, which is generally perceived as liberal and egalitarian, was the first in Europe to give women the right to vote in 1906, and elected its first female president, Tarja Halonen, this year.

Halonen, who has supported gay and lesbian rights for years, was the chairwoman of SETA for a brief term in the 1970s.

If the law is passed, Finland will follow in the footsteps of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland, all of which have legalised homosexual relationships. Holland has similar legislation, and Germany is following suit.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Vatican blasts 'deplorable' gay marriages
November 21, 2000
Same-sex- and quasi-marriage options are not marriage
August 28, 2000

The Finnish Council of State
Human Rights Campaign - Working for Lesbian and Gay Rights

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.