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The Czech Republic has offered registered partnerships for same-sex couples since 1 July 2006. Registered partnerships grant several of the rights of marriage, including inheritance, the right to declare a same-sex partner as next of kin, hospital visitation rights, jail and prison visitation rights, spousal privilege, and alimony rights, but do not allow joint adoption, widow's pension, or joint property rights. The registered partnership law was passed in March 2006 and went into effect on 1 July 2006.[1][2][3] The country also grants unregistered cohabitation status to "persons living in a common household" that gives couples inheritance and succession rights in housing.[4]
A same-sex marriage bill is currently pending in the Parliament of the Czech Republic. It passed its first reading in June 2023 and is scheduled to receive a second reading sometime in January 2024. Opinion polls show that the bill enjoys majority support among the Czech people.
Registered partnerships
There had been several attempts to allow same-sex registered partnerships in the Czech Republic. In 1998, a partnership bill reached the Chamber of Deputies, but was defeated by two votes.[5] In 1999, the chamber voted against another bill.[6][7] In February 2001, the Zeman Cabinet presented a third bill, which was rejected by Parliament in October 2001.[8][9][10] On 11 February 2005, another bill was defeated by one vote. It was backed by 82 out of the 165 deputies present, most voting in favour being Social Democrats, Communists, Freedom Union members and some deputies from the opposition Civic Democratic Party (ODS).[11]
In April 2005, a partnership bill passed its first reading in the Chamber with 82 votes for and 9 against. On 16 December 2005, it passed its third reading with 86 votes for, 54 against, and 7 abstentions.[12] The legislation established registered partnerships (Czech: registrované partnerství, pronounced [ˈrɛɡɪstrovanɛː ˈpartnɛrstviː]) for same-sex couples, providing several of the rights of marriage, including inheritance, the right to declare a same-sex partner as next of kin, hospital visitation rights, jail and prison visitation rights, spousal privilege and alimony rights, but not allowing joint adoption rights, widow's pension, or joint property rights.
| Party | Voted for | Voted against | Abstained | Absent or excused |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G Czech Social Democratic Party | 45
|
- | 1
|
24
|
| Civic Democratic Party | 13
|
30
|
4
|
10
|
| Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 22
|
4
|
2
|
13
|
| G Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party | - | 19
|
- | 2
|
| G Freedom Union – Democratic Union | 5
|
1
|
- | 4
|
| Independents | 1
|
- | - | - |
| Total | 86 | 54 | 7 | 53 |
The legislation was passed by the Senate on 26 January 2006 in a 65–14 vote.[14][15]
On 16 February 2006, President Václav Klaus vetoed the bill.[16][17][18] In response, Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek said that he would seek a parliamentary majority (101 votes) in the lower chamber to override the veto and did so successfully on 15 March 2006 with the exact number of votes needed (101) out of 177 votes cast.[19][20][21][22]
| Party | Voted for | Voted against | Abstained | Absent or excused |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G Czech Social Democratic Party | 66
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
| Civic Democratic Party | 2
|
26
|
14
|
15
|
| Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia | 26
|
9
|
3
|
3
|
| G Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party | - | 20
|
- | 1
|
| G Freedom Union – Democratic Union | 7
|
- | - | 3
|
| Independents | - | - | 1
|
- |
| Total | 101 | 57 | 18 | 21 |
In September 2014, a group of deputies introduced a bill to permit a person to adopt the stepchild(ren) of their registered partner (i.e. stepchild adoption).[24] In October 2014, the Sobotka Cabinet decided not to take an official stance on the bill.[25] Instead, on 24 October 2016, it approved its own draft bill on the issue, and introduced it to Parliament on 8 November.[26][27][28][29][30] The bills were not brought to a vote before the 2017 legislative election.
There are a number of differences between registered partnerships and marriage. Registered partners do not have the same rights to shared property as married couples, do not receive the same tax benefits, and do not have the right to a widow or widower's pension or adoption rights.[31] Another major distinction was that registered partnerships could only be performed in the 14 regional capitals, whereas marriages can be performed in over 1,200 registry offices throughout the country. This was noted in a July 2016 report by the ombudsman office, which also stated that a dying person in a hospital cannot enter into a partnership because of these restrictions.[32] A law which took effect on 1 January 2024 changed this requirement, allowing registered partnerships to be concluded at all registry offices in the country.[33]
Statistics
By June 2009, 780 registered partnerships had been conducted in the Czech Republic.[34][35] By the end of 2010, that number had increased to 1,110, 66 of which had been dissolved.[36] A large majority of these partnerships involved two Czech citizens, though there were also several couples with at least one partner from the United States, Slovakia or the United Kingdom.[37] Most partnerships were performed in Prague followed by Central Bohemia and South Moravia, while Zlín and Vysočina registered the fewest partnerships.[38]
| Year | Female couples | Male couples | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 64 | 187 | 251 |
| 2007 | 80 | 183 | 263 |
| 2008 | 70 | 163 | 233 |
| 2009 | 76 | 135 | 211 |
| 2010 | 53 | 150 | 203 |
| 2011 | 75 | 113 | 188 |
| 2012 | 78 | 129 | 207 |
| 2013 | 87 | 126 | 213 |
| 2014 | 100 | 142 | 242 |
| 2015 | 112 | 158 | 270 |
| 2016 | 147 | 201 | 348 |
| 2017 | 149 | 184 | 333 |
| 2018 | 160 | 158 | 318 |
| 2019 | 167 | 178 | 345 |
| Total | 1,418 | 2,207 | 3,625 |
From July 2006 to the end of 2019, 3,625 registered partnerships were performed in the Czech Republic. During this period, 913 partnerships (25%) were dissolved, lower than the divorce rate of opposite-sex partners at around 50%. In 2018, 318 couples entered into registered partnerships, and for the first time the number of lesbian couples surpassed that of male couples.[41][42]
Same-sex marriage
Failed attempts in 2017–2021
The Green Party and the Pirate Party expressed support for same-sex marriage in their 2017 electoral programs.[43][44] Following the adoption of a same-sex marriage law by the German Bundestag in June 2017, Zbyněk Stanjura, a deputy from the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), suggested that his party could agree to a free vote in Parliament.[45]
Before the October 2017 election, activists started a campaign called "We Are Fair" (Czech: Jsme fér, pronounced [jsmɛ fɛːr]) to legalise same-sex marriage in the Czech Republic.[45][46] The campaign found that a majority of deputies from ANO 2011, the Pirate Party, the Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), TOP 09, and the Mayors and Independents (STAN) supported same-sex marriage, while a minority of ODS, Communist and Christian Democratic MPs supported same-sex marriage, and no deputy from the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party was in favour.[47] Prime Minister Andrej Babiš expressed support for the legalisation of same-sex marriage.[48][49][50][51]
On 12 June 2018, a bill to legalise same-sex marriage, sponsored by 46 deputies, was introduced to the Chamber of Deputies.[52][53] Three days later, a group of 37 deputies proposed a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the "union of a man and a woman" in the Constitution of the Czech Republic, which would have required a two-thirds majority in the chamber.[54][55] On 22 June 2018, the Babiš Cabinet announced its support for the same-sex marriage bill.[56][57][58] The "We Are Fair" campaign presented 70,350 signatures in support of same-sex marriage to the Chamber of Deputies in late June.[59] The first reading of the same-sex marriage bill was scheduled for 31 October, but was delayed to 14 November.[60][61] As debate on both bills began, individual MPs spoke on both sides of the issue rather than split on party lines, indicative of a conscience vote.[62] A vote was expected in January 2019, but was postponed to 26 March 2019,[63] but then postponed again. On 10 January 2019, President Miloš Zeman said he might veto the same-sex marriage bill if it were passed by Parliament.[64][65] Such a veto would force a second vote on the law, with the support of 101 deputies (50% + 1) required to override the presidential veto. On 29 April 2021, a proposal to reject the bill at first reading failed, receiving 41 votes from the 93 deputies present,[66] and the bill therefore progressed to the committee stage.[67] However, it did not advance further before the October 2021 election.[68]
Introduction of legislation in 2022
In June 2022, a cross-party same-sex marriage bill was introduced to the Chamber of Deputies. The bill would grant same-sex couples the same legal rights and benefits as opposite-sex married spouses, including joint property rights, adoption rights, the right to inherit their partner's pension and access to alternative family care.[69] Several candidates in the 2023 presidential election supported same-sex marriage and adoption rights, including the winner, Petr Pavel,[70][71] and runner-up Andrej Babiš.[72][73]
Debate on the bill began in May 2023.[74][75][76] A poll conducted at the time showed that 72% of Czechs supported same-sex marriage.[77] The bill passed its first reading by 68 votes to 58 in the Chamber of Deputies on 29 June.[78][79] On 6 September 2023, several companies, including Vodafone, Microsoft, Danone, Československá obchodní banka and IKEA, supported an open letter to the government in support of the bill.[80][81] In November 2023, the Chamber's Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee failed to reach an agreement on whether to approve the same-sex marriage bill or a bill providing partnerships equal to marriage in all but name. A second reading in the Chamber is scheduled for January 2024.[82]
Religious performance
In October 2022, the Old Catholic Church of the Czech Republic voted to allow its priests to bless same-sex partnerships.[83] In May 2023, the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, the second largest Christian denomination in the Czech Republic, also voted to allow its pastors to bless same-sex unions.[84]
Public opinion
A 2007 opinion poll from CVVM (Centrum pro výzkum veřejného mínění, Center for Public Opinion Research) indicated that 36% of Czechs supported the legalisation of same-sex marriage, while 57% were opposed.[46] A May 2017 opinion poll by CVVM found a 52% majority in favour of legalising same-sex marriage, with 41% opposed.[45]
A 2017 poll conducted by the Pew Research Center showed that 65% of Czechs supported same-sex marriage. Support was far higher among 18–34-year-olds, with only 18% of people in that age group being opposed to same-sex marriage.[85] A Median poll conducted in February 2018 (and published in April) found that 75% of Czechs supported the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry, while 19% were opposed. 13% believed that legalising same-sex marriage would threaten opposite-sex marriages, and 8% believed it would threaten them personally. Additionally, 61% of Czechs were in support of adoption by same-sex couples, while 31% were opposed.[86][87]
A poll from January 2019, when a same-sex marriage bill was scheduled to undergo first reading in Parliament, indicated that 61% of Czechs supported same-sex marriage. Various Czech celebrities also expressed support, including tennis player Martina Navratilova, singers Bára Basiková and Dara Rolins, photographer Robert Vano, actresses Simona Stašová and Anna Geislerová, and politician Ivan Bartoš.[88] According to a June 2019 survey conducted in May 2019 by CVVM, 75% of respondents supported registered partnerships with 20% opposed, 47% supported same-sex marriage with 48% opposed, and 60% supported stepchild adoption with 31% opposed.[89] A Median poll published in January 2020 showed that 67% of Czechs supported same-sex marriage, and 62% supported joint adoption by same-sex couples.[90] The survey found a large generational gap, with younger respondents overwhelmingly in support, but those aged 55 and above mostly opposed.[91]
A GLOBSEC survey conducted in March 2023 showed that 72% of Czechs supported same-sex marriage, while 24% were opposed.[77] The 2023 Eurobarometer found that 60% of respondents thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, while 34% were opposed. The survey also found that 70% of Czechs thought that "there is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between two persons of the same sex", while 26% disagreed.[92]
See also
References
- ↑ "No. 115/2006 Coll". zakonyprolidi.cz (in Czech).
- ↑ "Nearly weds:Country's first same-sex unions". Prague Post.
- ↑ "Gay marriage legalized". Radio Prague International. 3 July 2006.
- ↑ Prague Archived 2015-06-30 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ CZECH REPUBLIC: NO MARRIAGES FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS
- ↑ Gay-marriage bill is rejected
- ↑ NO TO REGISTERED PARTNERSHIP IN CZECH REPUBLIC
- ↑ Czech Gay Bill Drafted
- ↑ Gay marriage not likely in Czech Republic
- ↑ Equality for same-sex couples
- ↑ Czech Gay and Lesbian League upset about repeated rejection of same sex partnerships
- ↑ Czech MPs approve law on same-sex partnerships
- ↑ "51. schůze, 933. hlasování, 16. prosince 2005, 10:26 (Návrh zákona o registrovaném partnerství)" (in Czech). 16 December 2005. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
- ↑ Bill on single sex partnerships makes it through both houses of Parliament
- ↑ Czech Gays Get Partner Rights
- ↑ Czech Republic President Vetoes Gay Union Bill
- ↑ Gay groups angered by president's veto of registered partnership bill
- ↑ Czech President Vetoes Gay Partner Bill
- ↑ Czech Parliament Overrides Veto, Passes Gay Partner Law
- ↑ Czech MPs approve gay rights law
- ↑ Czech Parliament Overrides Veto, Passes Gay Partner Law
- ↑ Same-sex registered partnerships to be introduced after deputies override presidential veto
- ↑ "54. schůze, 311. hlasování, 15. března 2006, 18:17 (Návrh zákona o registrovaném partnerství)" (in Czech). 15 March 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ↑ (in Czech) Sněmovní tisk 320 Novela z. o registrovaném partnerství
- ↑ (in Czech) Vláda se neshodla na novele o adopci registrovanými partnery
- ↑ (in Czech) Vláda schválila novelu zákona o NKÚ a novelu zákona o registrovaném partnerství
- ↑ (in Czech) Vláda schválila novelu zákona o registrovaném partnerství v otázce osvojení dítěte
- ↑ Government approves bill on adoption of biological children in same-sex couples
- ↑ (in Czech) Vláda odsouhlasila osvojování dětí pro homosexuální páry. Má jim zjednodušit každodenní život
- ↑ (in Czech) Sněmovní tisk 957 Novela z. o registrovaném partnerství
- ↑ "Czech MPs Hold Historic Debate on Same Sex Marriage". expats.cz. 15 November 2018.
- ↑ "Ani po deseti letech nejsou podmínky pro vstup do registrovaného partnerství ve všech krajích stejné". ochrance.cz (in Czech). 7 July 2016.
- ↑ "Registrované partnerství můžete od 1. ledna uzavřít i na kroměřížské radnici". Zlin.cz (in Czech). 31 December 2023.
- ↑ "Archive for Gay Life Statistics in Czech Republic". gaytoursprague.wordpress.com. 23 November 2009.
- ↑ "Gay marriages on the rise". Radio Prague. 30 January 2008.
- ↑ (in Czech) Česko má 1111 registrovaných partnerství Archived 2011-05-18 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Registrované partnerství "slavilo"". gay.iniciativa.cz (in Czech).
- ↑ "Kde je nejvíc registrovaných párů v Česku? Lesbičky hlásí rekord!". tn.nova.cz (in Czech). 23 January 2018.
- ↑ "Registrovaná partnerství fungují přes 10 let. Kolik párů si řeklo ano, kolik rozvedlo". zpravy.aktualne.cz (in Czech). 11 February 2017.
- ↑ "Známé neznámé registrované partnerství: statistiky RP v Česku po 14 letech". SOC (in Czech). 26 June 2020.
- ↑ "Dosud uzavřelo registrované partnerství 3117 párů. Po zrušení zákazu adopce roste zájem žen, loni poprvé překonaly muže". Hospodářské Noviny (in Czech). 1 February 2019.
- ↑ "Zájem žven o registrované partnerství stoupá. Loni poprvé překonaly muže". deník.cz (in Czech). 1 February 2019.
- ↑ "Manželství pro všechny". zeleni.cz.
- ↑ "Nová Sněmovna má 82 férových poslanců". Jsme Fér.
- 1 2 3 "Door Opens to Achieving Marriage Equality in Czech Republic". Human Rights Watch. 15 August 2017.
- 1 2 "Gays, lesbians launching campaign for marriage". Prague Daily Monitor. 3 July 2017.
- ↑ "Známe férové poslankyně a poslance!". Jsme Fér (in Czech). 22 October 2017.
- ↑ "Babiš podpořil sňatky homosexuálů". Novinky.cz (in Czech). 7 April 2019.
- ↑ "Czech prime minister supports marriage equality". The Bay Area Reporter. 10 April 2019.
- ↑ "Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš voices support for gay marriage". news.expats.cz. 9 April 2019.
- ↑ Vodseďálek, Petr (19 April 2017). "Andrej Babiš podpoří gay manželství. Diskutovat na toto téma bude v kině Varšava Zdroj". Jablonecký Deník (in Czech).
- ↑ "Sněmovní tisk 201 - Novela z. - občanský zákoník". psp.cz. Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic. 12 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ↑ ""Důstojnost pro všechny". Poslanci navrhli, aby manželství mohli uzavírat i lidé stejného pohlaví" ["Dignity for all": Legislators suggest that marriage be opened to same-sex couples.]. lidovky.cz. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
- ↑ "Sněmovní tisk 211 - N. ústav. z. - Listina základních práv a svobod". psp.cz. 13 June 2018.
- ↑ "Skupina poslanců odmítá sňatky pro homosexuály. Svazek muže a ženy chce chránit ústavně". Ceska Televize. 13 June 2018.
- ↑ "Manželství místo partnerství. Vláda podpořila sňatky pro homosexuályl". denik.cz. 22 June 2018.
- ↑ "Manželství budou moci podle Babišovy vlády uzavřít i homosexuálové". zpravy.idnes.cz. 22 June 2018.
- ↑ "Czech government backs bill on same-sex marriage". Reuters. 22 June 2018.
- ↑ "Petition for same-sex marriage passed to lawmakers". Prague Monitor. 27 June 2018.
- ↑ "První čtení: manželství pro všechny ve Sněmovně". Jsme fér (in Czech). 31 October 2018.
- ↑ Crittenton, Anya (31 October 2018). "Czech Republic fails to vote on same-sex marriage, puts it off for later session". Gay Star News.
- ↑ Kenety, Brian (15 November 2018). "CZECH MPS DEBATE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, VOTE POSSIBLE IN JANUARY". Radio Praha. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- ↑ "Guess who's coming to dinner? LGBTQ couple could win Christian Democrats' marriage contest | Radio Prague". Radio Praha. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
- ↑ Krutilek, Ondřej (10 January 2019). "Zeman zvažuje, že bude vetovat zákon o sňatcích homosexuálních párů". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- ↑ "Zeman uvažuje o vetu případného uzákonění manželství homosexuálů". ČTK (in Czech). Novinky.cz. 10 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- ↑ Pisani, Benedetta (30 April 2021). "Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passes First Reading In Chamber of Deputies". Brno Daily. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ↑ "Czech lawmakers give nod to same-sex marriage, final vote uncertain". Reuters. 29 April 2021.
- ↑ Nattrass, William (7 October 2021). "Elections 2021: Where do Czech political parties stand on same-sex marriage?". Expats.cz.
- ↑ Hutt, David (2022-06-13). "Is the Czech Republic about to legalise same-sex marriage?". Retrieved 2022-06-24.
- ↑ "Generál Pavel lituje minulosti v KSČ. Podpořil by eutanazii, trest smrti odmítá". Idnes.cz. 30 August 2022.
- ↑ Muller, Robert; Lopatka, Jan (2023-01-28). "Retired Czech general Pavel wins presidential election". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
- ↑ "Babiš podpořil uzákonění sňatků homosexuálů. Chce, aby měli stejná práva jako manželé | Aktuálně.cz". 7 April 2019.
- ↑ "Koho Volit v Prezidentských Volbách 2023?". Jsme fér (in Czech). 20 January 2023.
- ↑ "Czech parliament divided about same-sex marriage". Christian Network Europe. 2 June 2023.
- ↑ Smith, Thomas (17 May 2023). "On International Day of Homophobia, Czechia grapples with same-sex marriage legalization". expats.cz.
- ↑ "Sněmovna řešila manželství pro všechny. V proslovech došlo i na neomarxismus". Seznam Zprávy. 1 June 2023.
- 1 2 "GLOBSEC Trends 2023" (PDF). GLOBSEC. 2023. p. 75.
- ↑ Benešová, Stanislava (13 June 2023). "Sněmovno, hlasuj! Iniciativa vyzvala politiky, aby jednala o manželství pro všechny". Novinky.cz (in Czech).
- ↑ "Czech lawmakers give first nod to same-sex marriage bill, opposition ahead". Reuters. 29 June 2023.
- ↑ "Large global corporations call on Czech PM to accept same-sex marriage". Expats.cz. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ↑ "Over 60 Czech Firms Ask PM Fiala To Support Same-Sex Marriage". Brno Daily. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ↑ "Návrh: Stejnopohlavní páry by mohly vstupovat do partnerství s právy manželů". České Noviny (in Czech). 1 November 2023.
- ↑ "Starokatolická církev schválila možnost žehnání stejnopohlavním partnerství". Deník (in Czech). 14 October 2022.
- ↑ "Church's move to allow blessing of same-sex unions shows believers "really support equality"". Radio Prague International. 29 May 2023.
- ↑ "Eastern and Western Europeans Differ on Importance of Religion, Views of Minorities, and Key Social Issues". Pew Research Center. 29 October 2018.
- ↑ "Poll: Most Czechs for same-sex marriages". Prague Daily Monitor. 20 April 2018.
- ↑ Poll finds overwhelming support for equal marriage in Czech Republic, PinkNews, 20 April 2018
- ↑ "Průzkum: 61 % Čechů souhlasí s manželstvím párů stejného pohlaví a podpora nadále roste. Podporují jej také známé osobnosti!". nakluky.cz (in Czech). 20 January 2019.
- ↑ "Průzkum 2019: 75 % lidí souhlasí s registrovaným partnerstvím. Pozitivní postoj ke gayům a lesbám má ve společnosti vzestupnou tendenci". nakluky.cz (in Czech). 7 June 2019.
- ↑ "Czech support for legalizing same-sex marriage slightly up". Budapest Business Journal. 26 January 2020.
- ↑ "Support for LGBT+ rights soaring in the Czech Republic with two-thirds backing marriage equality". PinkNews. 25 January 2020.
- ↑ "Eurobarometer 2023: Discrimination in the European Union". europa.eu. Retrieved 1 January 2024.