Estonians gathered in Riga, Latvia for a Baltic Pride event in 2018 (Picture: AFP)
The Baltic nation of Estonia has become the first former Soviet republic to legalise same-sex marriage.
A bill allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry and jointly adopt children was passed by the country’s parliament on Tuesday.
President Alar Karis is expected to sign off on the legislation, which would take effect on on New Year’s Day 2024.
Support for marriage equality among Estonians has grown rapidly in recent years but remained a relatively divisive issue.
Around 53% of the 1.3 million population supported it, according to surveys taken in April, compared to 34% in 2021. Around 38% still find homosexuality ‘unacceptable’.
Ethnic Russians – who became a large minority in Estonia over decades of Soviet occupation – make up the majority (60%) of those who oppose same-sex marriage.
Estonia’s LGBT Association said: ‘This is a big step towards equality and justice so that every person can feel valued and protected.’
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas put her government on the line to get the bill passed (Credits: AP)
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas encouraged other post-Soviet countries to follow suit.
She said: ‘My message [to them] is that it’s a difficult fight, but marriage and love is something that you have to promote.
‘We have developed a lot in those 30 years, since we have freed ourselves from the (Soviet) occupation. We are equals among same-value countries.’
Ms Kallas’ centre-right party had previously skirted around the issue of same-sex marriage as some of its MPs wanted to approve civil unions rather than full equality.
People protesting at Tallinn Pride in 2006 (Picture: Rex)
But Estonia’s liberal Estonia 200 party and centre-left Social Democrats insisted backing full marriage equality as a condition of joining her in government after elections in March.
Ms Kallas also risked her grip on power to get the bill passed in the face of stubborn opposition led by the right-wing populist EKRE party.
The bill ended up in a stalemate after EKRE submitted hundreds of amendments to hold up Ms Kallas’ wider package of reforms.
Ms Kallas then held a series of confidence votes on the matter, which effectively forced stubborn MPs on her side to back her policies or cause the coalition to topple.
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Estonia’s marriage equality bill vanquished opposition from right-wing populists and ethnic Russians who mostly oppose LGBT rights.
