German Court Rules for Equal Inheritance

The highest court in Germany ruled Tuesday that same-sex couples in civil partnerships are entitled to the same inheritance rights as married straight couples.

According to The Canadian Press, “The Federal constitutional Court on Tuesday decided in favour of two homosexual plaintiffs after each had lost their partner and contested rules under which they had to pay inheritance tax as if they were distant relatives of the deceased.”

Civil partnerships in Germany fall short of the legal rights of marriage. Right now, a spouse in Germany pays an inheritance tax between 7 and 30%, but a same-sex partner in a civil partnership pays between 17 and 50%, The Canadian Press reported.