Civil unions in Iceland
Encyclopedia
Same-sex marriage
has been legal in Iceland
since June 27, 2010. The bill providing a gender-neutral marriage definition was passed by the Icelandic Althing
on June 11, 2010. No members of parliament voted against the bill, and public opinion polls suggest that the bill is very popular in Iceland. Iceland became the ninth country in the world
to have legalized same-sex marriage.
s for gay
and lesbian
couples were introduced in Iceland
in 1996. This legislation was repealed with the passing of the gender-neutral marriage law.
The legislation granted the same range of protections, responsibilities and benefits as marriage
, and was only available to same-sex couples. A registered partner could adopt the other partner’s child, unless the child was adopted from a foreign country. All parties in the Alþingi
, the Icelandic Parliament, were in favour of the law; only one member of the conservative Independence Party
(Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) voted against it.
On June 2, 2006 Parliament voted for legislation granting same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexuals in adoption, parenting and assisted insemination treatment. No member of Parliament voted against the proposal and the law came into effect on June 27 2006.
An amendment which took force on June 27, 2008 allowed the Church of Iceland
and other religious groups to bless same-sex registered partnerships.
Notable Icelandic individuals joined in civil union include the current Prime Minister, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
, and her partner, Jónína Leósdóttir
. On 27 June 2010, they had their registered partnership transformed into a recognized marriage.
The opposition Progress Party also supported gender-neutral marriage.
On 18 November 2009, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Ragna Árnadóttir, confirmed that the Icelandic Government was working on a "single marriage act" which would include both opposite-sex and same-sex couples.
On 23 March 2010, the Government presented a bill to repeal the registered partnership law and allow couples to marry regardless of gender. On 11 June 2010 the Icelandic Parliament approved the bill 49 to 0, with 14 abstentions. The law took effect on 27 June 2010.
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
has been legal in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
since June 27, 2010. The bill providing a gender-neutral marriage definition was passed by the Icelandic Althing
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
on June 11, 2010. No members of parliament voted against the bill, and public opinion polls suggest that the bill is very popular in Iceland. Iceland became the ninth country in the world
Same-sex marriage legislation around the world
Same-sex marriage is currently carried out throughout ten countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, and Argentina. Six U.S. states and one U.S. district perform same-sex marriages, those being Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New...
to have legalized same-sex marriage.
Registered partnership
Registered partnershipCivil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s for gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
couples were introduced in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in 1996. This legislation was repealed with the passing of the gender-neutral marriage law.
The legislation granted the same range of protections, responsibilities and benefits as marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, and was only available to same-sex couples. A registered partner could adopt the other partner’s child, unless the child was adopted from a foreign country. All parties in the Alþingi
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
, the Icelandic Parliament, were in favour of the law; only one member of the conservative Independence Party
Independence Party (Iceland)
The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal....
(Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) voted against it.
On June 2, 2006 Parliament voted for legislation granting same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexuals in adoption, parenting and assisted insemination treatment. No member of Parliament voted against the proposal and the law came into effect on June 27 2006.
An amendment which took force on June 27, 2008 allowed the Church of Iceland
Church of Iceland
The National Church of Iceland, or Þjóðkirkjan, formally called the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland, is the state church in Iceland. Like the established churches in the other Nordic countries, the National Church of Iceland professes the Lutheran branch of Christianity. Its head is the...
and other religious groups to bless same-sex registered partnerships.
Notable Icelandic individuals joined in civil union include the current Prime Minister, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir , , is the Prime Minister of Iceland. Many years a politician, she was previously Iceland's Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security from 1987–1994 and 2007–2009. She has been a member of the Althing for Reykjavík constituencies since 1978, winning re-election on eight...
, and her partner, Jónína Leósdóttir
Jónína Leósdóttir
Jónína Leósdóttir is an Icelandic novelist, playwright and former journalist. She is the author of a dozen plays, six novels, two biographies and a collection of articles she originally wrote for a women's magazine. She is married to the Icelandic Prime Minister, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, who is the...
. On 27 June 2010, they had their registered partnership transformed into a recognized marriage.
Same-sex marriage
The Government of Iceland, elected in April 2009, announced the introduction of a gender-neutral Marriage Act at some point in the future. The 'Government Coalition Platform of the Social Democratic Alliance and Left-Green Movement', published on the 19 May 2009 stated that "A single marriage act will be adopted." Though it was not explicitly stated, it implied that the act would be gender-neutral.The opposition Progress Party also supported gender-neutral marriage.
On 18 November 2009, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Ragna Árnadóttir, confirmed that the Icelandic Government was working on a "single marriage act" which would include both opposite-sex and same-sex couples.
On 23 March 2010, the Government presented a bill to repeal the registered partnership law and allow couples to marry regardless of gender. On 11 June 2010 the Icelandic Parliament approved the bill 49 to 0, with 14 abstentions. The law took effect on 27 June 2010.