German parliament paves way for same-sex marriage

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, talks to Baden-Wuerttemberg governor Winfried Kretschmann of the Green Party prior to a debate of the German parliament Bundestag on the gay marriage in Berlin, Germany, Friday, June 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, talks to Baden-Wuerttemberg governor Winfried Kretschmann of the Green Party prior to a debate of the German parliament Bundestag on the gay marriage in Berlin, Germany, Friday, June 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

By Associated Press June 30, 2017 1 min read

BERLIN (AP) – German lawmakers have agreed to put the legalization of same-sex marriage to a vote in parliament’s last session before its summer break, paving the way for the likely passage of the law.

Bringing the measure to a vote in Friday’s session, the last before September elections, was fast-tracked after Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday lawmakers could take up the issue as a “question of conscience,” freeing members of her conservative coalition, which has been against same-sex marriage, to individually vote for the measure.

Germany has allowed same-sex couples to enter civil partnerships since 2001, but same-sex marriages remain illegal.

All of Merkel’s potential coalition partners after the Sept. 4 election, including the center-left Social Democrats of her challenger, Martin Schulz, have been calling for same-sex marriage to be legalized.