Germany legalizes same-sex marriage after chancellor’s U-turn

BERLIN—German lawmakers voted Friday to legalize same-sex marriage, a move widely supported across the country that brings Germany in line with many of its Western peers. Chancellor Angela Merkel voted against the measure, but paved the way for its passage by allowing members of her conservative party to vote according to their conscience.

Lawmakers voted 393-226 to legalize “marriage for everybody,” with four abstentions. Underlining the delicate political tightrope that Merkel walked, the “no” votes came entirely from her conservative bloc, although some prominent party members, including Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen and her chief of staff Peter Altmaier, voted for it.

“This is a historic day,” said Greens lawmaker Volker Beck, who leapt to his feet to applaud once the result was announced and was showered with confetti by supporters.

“It is really an amazing victory,” said Beck, who has campaigned around Europe for gay rights.

Gay couples outside the chancellery, not far from parliament, kissed and hugged after the decision was announced, waving rainbow flags and carrying signs saying “Marriage for everybody.”

“We've been happily married for eight years, but we could never call it that,” said 38-year-old Shoshana Brandt, standing alongside her partner and their son. “We are happy and proud that we are now equal and we can live our love.”

After years of lukewarm opposition to gay marriage following her party's line, Merkel said Monday that lawmakers could take up the issue as a question of “conscience,” allowing members of her conservative coalition to individually vote for it if they wanted.

That prompted her center-left rivals to call for a quick vote on the issue, adding it to the agenda Friday on parliament's last regular session before Germany's Sept. 24 national election.

Berlin Christian Democrat Jan-Marco Luczak, one of 75 lawmakers from Merkel's bloc who voted for the measure, urged his fellow party members to join him.

“It would be absurd to try and protect marriage by preventing people to marry,” he told lawmakers in the debate ahead of the vote.

Many applauded Merkel's comments that opened the way for the vote, but Social Democrat lawmaker Johannes Kahrs noted that the chancellor has been a longtime opponent of gay marriage.

“Many thanks for nothing,” he said bluntly.

Germany has allowed same-sex couples to enter civil partnerships since 2001, but has not granted them full marital rights, which include the possibility of jointly adopting children, even though gay marriage enjoyed some 80 percent support, according to recent polls.