Prague Pride 2017. | Photo: dominique cappronnier / Flickr
Czech Republic just introduced a draft law to legalize same-sex marriage today (22 June).
According to Jsme Fer: ‘Today, the government has issued a favourable opinion with a draft law that would allow gay and lesbian couples to be married!’
Just few minutes ago the Czech government agreed with a parliamentary bill allowing Czech samesex couples to msrry! Huge step forward! It’s time for freedom to marry in Czechia! #jsmefer
— Czeslaw Walek (@CzeslawWalek) June 22, 2018
Prague Pride also tweeted: ‘Czech government decided today to support an equal marriage bill.
‘This is a great news for #LGBT in the Czech Republic!’
The draft law calls for same-sex couples to receive the same rights as heterosexual married couples, including the right to a widow’s pension, the rights and obligations to the children they raise, and access to alternative family care.
Will Czech Republic be the first post-communist country to achieve marriage equality?
According to iDNES, Lucie Zachariáš, the lawyer representing the campaign for marriage equality in Czech Republic said on the government’s decision: ‘We are happy that the government has consistently spoken about the proposal to change the Civil Code and promote marriage for gays and lesbians.’
She then added: ‘It is practically the whole of Western Europe, and we have the chance to be the first post-communist country to take it.’
Prague Pride 2011. | Photo: Loizeau / Flickr
She also addressed concerns from Czech Republicans who fear gay marriage will negatively affect heterosexual marriage.
Zachariáš said: ‘There have been voices that worry about a classical family.
‘We would like to emphasize that there is nothing in countries where marriage has been enacted for anything that would endanger heterosexual marriage,’ she said.
On what the future holds, she said: ‘We know that there is still a long way to go to the Chamber of Deputies, Senate to the President.’
Czech Republic have had civil partnerships for same-sex couples since 2006.
The country also recently changed same-sex adoption laws.
