SWISS TO VOTE ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Switzerland has gone to the polls to vote on whether the nation should legalise same-sex marriage.

Polls have indicated broad support for legalisation, which would bring the Alpine nation into line with most of Western Europe.

In the last survey conducted, 53 per cent were in favour of legalising same-sex marriage, with 27 per cent against.

“Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in this historic step towards equality,” the Marriage Yes campaign urged voters overnight.

Polling has showed that members of some Christian congregations and supporters of the right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party (SVP) – Switzerland’s largest political party – were the most likely to oppose legalising same-sex marriage.

After years of debate and discussion, the Swiss parliament approved a Bill last December allowing same-sex couples to marry in the country of 8.6 million people.

But it was challenged under Switzerland’s direct democracy system, with opponents gathering the 50,000 signatures needed to put the issue to a referendum.

The government and parliament have urged voters to back “marriage for all”, and to eliminate the current “unequal treatment” between heterosexual and gay couples.