The lower chamber
of the Czech parliament voted Wednesday to approve
legislation that will grant some legal rights to same-sex
partners, despite a veto by President Vaclav Klaus. Of
the 177 lawmakers present in the 200-seat chamber, 101
voted in favor of the law, 57 were against, and 19
abstained. At least 101 votes were needed to override the
presidential veto for the law to become valid.
Klaus vetoed the
law in February, calling it "unprecedented expansion
of state regulation into interpersonal relations." The
parliament's lower chamber had approved it in
December, and the upper chamber, the senate, approved
it in January.
The legislation
will allow couples who register their partnership with
authorities to have rights to inheritance and health care
similar to rights enjoyed by heterosexual married
couples. The bill, however, does not allow marriage or
adoption by same-sex partners.
"I have a message
for the president...that common sense has won," said
Jiri Hromada, a leading Czech gay activist, responding to
the vote. "The law is a compromise. It will harm no
one and will make many happy," Hromada said.
Parliament has
turned down similar proposals five times in the past.
(The Advocate)
