Merkel against but gay marriage voted in
ANGELA Merkel voted against gay marriage – after paving the way for same-sex couples to wed.
The German Chancellor gave her conservative Christian Democrats MPs a free vote, lifting the party’s previous opposition.
But despite opening the door to gay unions, which the parliament passed by 393 votes to 226, she personally opposed the plan.
Mrs Merkel said: “For me, marriage in the basic law is between a man and a woman and that is why I did not vote in favour of this bill today.”
Germany became the latest EU country to legalise gay marriage, after the UK (except Northern Ireland), Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain and Ireland.
Mrs Merkel will be among world leaders, including Theresa May, at an EU Parliament ceremony for the late Chancellor Helmut Kohl today in Strasbourg. Mr Kohl is seen as the architect of German reunification.