Germany Legalizes Gay Marriage as Merkel Maneuvers Around Rivals
- Chancellor nonetheless votes against measure, citing tradition
- Vote puts Germany in line with EU nations, U.S. on gay rights
The vote opens marriage to all in a country that has so far offered rights to gay couples, except adoption, through legal partnerships.
Photographer: Tobias Schwarz/AFP via Getty ImagesGermany’s parliament voted to legalize gay marriage, putting the country in line with other European Union nations and the U.S. after Chancellor Angela Merkel unexpectedly dropped her party’s objection to same-sex unions.
Merkel voted against the legislation, but the parliamentary maneuvering behind it was a lesson in how she’s held onto power for nearly 12 years. By opposing the measure, Merkel succeeded in keeping her Christian Democratic Union party on her side three months before a federal election. Yet by allowing her lawmakers a vote of conscience, she helped the opposition to deliver a policy that’s popular with the public.