Same-sex marriage in Sweden
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On 22 October 2009, the governing board of the Church of Sweden voted 176–62 in favour of allowing its priests to wed same-sex couples in new gender-neutral church ceremonies,[2] including the use of the term marriage.[3][4] Same-sex marriages have been performed by the church since 1 November 2009.[5]
Cohabitation
In 1987, Sweden established a statutory relationship protection scheme separate from marriage for all unmarried cohabiting couples, including same-sex couples. It was the first
The legal status provides only limited rights primarily to economic protection for joint ownership of the common home and household goods, though other benefits and obligations now also extend to sambo relationships. Subsidized
Registered partnerships
Registered partnerships (Swedish: registrerat partnerskap, pronounced [rɛ.jɪsˈtreːrat ˈpɑ̂ːʈnɛʂkɑːp])[a] were legalised in Sweden in 1995. A law to this effect was approved by the Swedish Parliament in June 1994 by a vote of 171–141, promulgated on 23 June,[b] and took effect on 1 January 1995. Sweden was the third country in the world to legally recognise same-sex unions, after Denmark and Norway.
Registered partnerships, only available to same-sex couples, gave the full range of protections, responsibilities and benefits as marriage, including adoption and arrangements for the
Same-sex marriage
Background
In 2004, Parliament established a committee to investigate the possibility of opening marriage to same-sex partners. The report, issued in March 2007, supported enacting a gender-neutral marriage law and abolishing the registered partnership law (registered partnerships would be automatically converted into marriages) while granting an "opt-out" to religious institutions, which would allow them to refuse to marry same-sex couples.[19] This last point was quite controversial and increased calls for a gender-neutral marriage law. The committee further suggested that the Swedish Government bring the changes into effect by 1 January 2008.
Six of the seven political parties in the
Court challenge
On 12 May 2008, media sources reported that a married same-sex couple from
Vote in the Riksdag
The
On 27 October 2007, the Moderate Party formally backed same-sex marriages, meaning that the Christian Democrats would be the only party to oppose the law. Göran Hägglund, the leader of the Christian Democrats, said on Sveriges Radio, "my position is that I have been tasked by the party to argue that marriage is for men and women. ... When we discuss it between parties we are naturally open and sensitive to each other's arguments and we'll see if we can find a line that allows us to come together."[24] On 14 January 2008, two leading politicians from the Christian Democrats took a position against the party and started to support same-sex marriage.[25]
On 12 December 2007, the Church of Sweden voted to support the introduction of civil marriage for same-sex couples, but recommended that the term marriage be restricted to opposite-sex couples in the church. It was asked by the cabinet for its opinion on the matter before the introduction of legislation in early 2008. "Marriage and (same-sex) partnerships are equivalent forms of unions. Therefore the Church of Sweden's central board says yes to the proposal to join the legislation for marriages and partnerships into a single law," the Church said in a statement. "According to the Church of Sweden's board the word 'marriage' should, however, only be used for the relationship between a woman and a man.", it said.[26]
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Vote in the Riksdag on same-sex marriage, Riksdag, 1 April 2009 |
Reports suggested the cabinet would table its same-sex marriage bill in early 2008; however, it had yet to propose a bill. This was likely due to the Christian Democrats' opposition from within the four-party centre-right governing coalition despite being the only party opposing the move. After negotiations on a compromise broke down and facing a parliamentary ultimatum in late October 2008,[27] the cabinet prepared to present its bill to a free vote. On 21 January 2009, legislation to amend the Marriage Code (Swedish: Äktenskapsbalken) to define marriage as the union of "two spouses" was introduced to the Swedish Parliament.[28] The bill was passed on 1 April by a vote of 261–22 with 16 abstentions. It was promulgated and published on 16 April,[b] and took effect on 1 May.[29] The bill was supported by all parties except the Christian Democrats and one member of the Centre Party.[30][31]
The first same-sex couple to marry in Sweden were Alf Karlsson and Johan Lundqvist at Stockholm City Hall on 1 May 2009. The marriage ceremony was officiated by Green Party politician Maria Wetterstrand.[33]
As of 2019, all the major parties represented in the Riksdag are in favour of same-sex marriage. However, the Sweden Democrats and the Christian Democrats are in favour of state-recognized same-sex marriage, while believing that religious organisations or individuals working within them (such as priests in the Church of Sweden) should be able to refuse to perform them.[34][35]
Royal same-sex weddings
In October 2021,
Impact
A study by the Danish Research Institute for Suicide Prevention, released in 2019, showed that the legalisation of same-sex marriage, as well as other supportive policies and legislation, had decreased the suicide rate among same-sex partners. The study, conducted in both Sweden and Denmark, found a 46% fall in suicides of people in same-sex unions between the periods 1989–2002 and 2003–2016, compared to 28% among heterosexual couples.[37][38]
Statistics
In July 2013, Statistics Sweden (SCB) released estimates on the number of people who had married a partner of the same sex since marriage legalisation in 2009. The group found that in all jurisdictions of Sweden bar one (Stockholm County) more lesbian marriages had occurred than male same-sex marriages. As of July 2013, 4,521 women were married to another woman in Sweden, compared to 3,646 men in same-sex marriages.[39] The odd figure for female marriages is due to SCB not including foreigners in the statistics.[39] Most same-sex marriages took place in Stockholm County, Västra Götaland County, Skåne County and Uppsala County.
According to SCB, 12,158 people were in a same-sex marriage at the end of 2017; with 56% being women and 44% being men. SCB estimated that the average age of marriage for women in same-sex relationships was 34 years, while for men it was 41 years (compared to 34 and 36, respectively, for opposite-sex partners). Stockholm, Västra Götaland and Skåne counties registered the most same-sex marriages, while Gotland, Jämtland and Blekinge registered the fewest.[40]
Religious performance
In 2009, Eva Brunne was elected and consecrated as the Lutheran Bishop of Stockholm. She was the first lesbian bishop in the world and the first bishop of the Church of Sweden to be in a registered same-sex partnership.[41]
On 22 October 2009, the Assembly of the Church of Sweden (which is no longer the state church) voted strongly in favour of giving its blessing to same-sex marriages,[4] including the use of the term marriage. It was the first major church in Sweden to take this position on same-sex marriage.[42] Archbishop of Uppsala Anders Wejryd commented that he was pleased with the decision.[2] The second and third largest Christian denominations in the country, the Catholic Church and the Pentecostalist Movement of Sweden, commented that they were "disappointed" with the decision of the Church of Sweden.[43] The Muslim Association of Sweden had already stated that no imams would marry same-sex couples.[44] Prime Minister Stefan Löfven said in June 2017 that he does not believe a priest working for the Church of Sweden should be allowed to refuse to marry same-sex couples.[45][46]
Besides the Church of Sweden, other smaller Christian denominations allow their congregations to solemnize same-sex marriages, including the Liberal Catholic Church, which performed the first religious same-sex wedding in Sweden in July 2009, and the Uniting Church in Sweden.[47]
Public opinion
A Eurobarometer poll conducted in autumn 2006 found that 71% of Swedes supported legalising same-sex marriage, with a high of 87% in Stockholm County and a low of 58% in Jönköping County. This public approval was the second highest in the European Union at the time, behind the Netherlands.[48]
A YouGov poll conducted between 27 December 2012 and 6 January 2013 found that 79% of Swedes supported same-sex marriage, 14% were opposed and 7% had no opinion.[49] A May 2013 Ipsos poll found that 81% of respondents were in favour of same-sex marriage and another 9% supported other forms of recognition for same-sex couples.[50]
The 2015 Eurobarometer found that 90% of Swedes thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, while 7% were opposed.[51] A Pew Research Center poll, conducted between April and August 2017 and published in May 2018, showed that 88% of Swedes supported same-sex marriage, 7% were opposed and 5% did not know or refused to answer.[52] When divided by religion, 94% of religiously unaffiliated people, 90% of non-practicing Christians and 65% of church-attending Christians supported same-sex marriage.[53] Opposition was 5% among 18–34-year-olds.[54]
The 2019 Eurobarometer found that 92% of Swedes thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, while 6% were opposed.[55] A Pew Research Center poll conducted between February and May 2023 also showed that 92% of Swedes supported same-sex marriage, 6% were opposed and 2% did not know or refused to answer. When divided by age, support was highest among 18–34-year-olds at 96% and lowest among those aged 35 and above at 90%. Women (96%) were also more likely to support same-sex marriage than men (87%). When divided by political affiliation, support was highest among those on the left of the political spectrum at 98%, followed by those at the center at 93% and those on the right at 90%.[56]
The 2023 Eurobarometer found that 94% of Swedes thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, while 5% were opposed. The survey also found that 95% of Swedes thought that "there is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between two persons of the same sex", while 4% disagreed.[57]
See also
Notes
- ^ In Sweden's minority languages:
- Finnish: rekisteröity parisuhde, pronounced [ˈrekisterøi̯ty ˈpɑriˌsuhde]
- Northern Sami: registrerejuvvon párragaskavuohta,[14] pronounced [ˈrekiːstrereˌjuvvon ˈpʰaːrraˌkasːkaˌvuo̯hta]
- Romani: registralime partnerimo,[17] pronounced [ˈregistrɑlime ˈpɑrtnerimo]
- Yiddish: רעגיסטרירטע פּאַרטנערשאַפֿט,[18] registrirte partnershaft, pronounced [rɜgɪsˈtrɪrtɜ ˈpartnɜrʃaft]
- ^ a b Since 1975, bills no longer require royal assent for promulgation. Instead, the government officially promulgates laws. As a result, King Carl XVI Gustaf did not need to grant his assent to this bill.
References
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- ^ a b Church of Sweden Priests to Wed Gay Couples in Gender-Neutral Ceremonies Archived 23 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Fox News, 22 October 2009.
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- ^ "Cohabitees and their joint homes" (PDF). Ministry of Justice(Sweden). 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Genetic Integrity Act [Lag (2006:351) om genetisk integritet m.m.], 6-7 kap". Government of Sweden. 2020. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Cohabitation Act [Samblolag (2003:376)], 8 §". Government of Sweden. 2020. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Cohabitation Act [Samblolag (2003:376)], 18 §". Government of Sweden. 2020. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Marriage Act [Äktenskapsbalk (1987:230)], 3 kap., 1 §". Government of Sweden. 2020. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
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- ^ "Votering: betänkande 2008/09:CU19 Könsneutrala äktenskap och vigselfrågor, förslagspunkt 1 - Omröstning 2008/09:CU19p1 (Könsneutrala äktenskap och vigselfrågor)" (in Swedish). Sveriges Riksdag. 1 April 2009. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
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Kristdemokraterna förespråkar en civilrättslig registrering som är lika för hetero- och homosexuella par. Därmed skiljer man på den rättsliga ordning som staten ska reglera och kyrkornas ceremoni. Förslaget har sin grund i förhållandet att kyrka och stat numera är åtskilda och innebär att myndighetsutövningen i detta sammanhang förbehålls staten. Rent praktiskt innebär det att alla par som vill gifta sig går till en myndighet, exempelvis skattemyndigheten, och registrerar det juridiska förbundet. Därefter inramar varje par giftermålet på det sätt som de själva önskar.
- ^ Larsson, Mats J. (10 September 2017). "S och SD i hård konflikt om kyrkan" [S and SD in hard battle about the church]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
[SD] har tidigare varit emot samkönade äktenskap, men säger sig nu acceptera den ordning som gäller i dag. Däremot vill SD att nya präster som inte vill viga homosexuella par ska få en plats i kyrkan.
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External links
- Lag om ändring i äktenskapsbalken. Sveriges digitala lagbok (in Swedish)
- Video of the vote in the Riksdag. Sveriges Riksdag (in Swedish)