Family Code 2011
On July 2, 2009, the Minister of the Interior, Katarina Kresal (LDS), announced that Slovenia is likely to legalize same-sex marriage in the near future, citing the government's commitment to provide equal rights for both opposite-sex and same-sex couples. The announcement stirred some level of public controversy, mainly because it provided grounds for same-sex adoption.
On September 21, 2009, the Government presented a draft of the new Family Code, which would allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt children. The bill went through a period of public debate until 1 November 2009. In December 2009, the Government considered amendments to the bill, which was expected to be voted upon in 2010. On 17 December 2009, the Government approved the Family Code. On March 2, 2010, the bill was approved by the National Assembly, lower house of parliament, in the first reading.
On January 24, 2011, the Government announced its intention to change the bill before its final version is passed by the National Assembly. The amendments would be made due to the difficulty of passing the bill. Marriage would be defined as a union between a man and a woman, but same-sex registered partnerships would have all rights of marriage except joint adoption (step-child adoption would be allowed).
On April 7, the National Assembly's committee approved the amended bill in the second reading and sent it for a third reading. It was passed in the final reading on June 16, 2011.
The new law was challenged on 1 September 2011 by a conservative popular movement 'The Civil Initiative for the Family and Rights of Children', which called for a national referendum on the issue, and started gathering the requisite popular support. In response, the Government asked the Constitutional Court to judge whether such a referendum would be constitutional. On 26 December 2011, the Constitutional Court ruled that holding referendum on this issue is constitutional. A referendum on 25 March, 2012 led to the rejection of the bill.
Read more about this topic: Recognition Of Same-sex Unions In Slovenia
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