Registered partnership in the Czech Republic

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The Czech Republic offers registered partnerships (registrované partnerství) for same-sex couples. Registered partnerships grant several rights of marriage, including, inheritance, hospital, spousal privilege, and alimony rights, but do not allow adoption, widow's pension, or joint property rights. The registered partnership law was passed in March 2006 and went into effect on July 1, 2006.^[1][2] The country also grants unregistered cohabitation status to "persons living in a common household" that gives couples inheritance and succession rights in housing.^[3]

History

There had been several attempts to allow same-sex registered partnerships. In 1998, a registered partnership bill reached the chamber, but failed by two votes.^[4] In 1999, the chamber voted against another bill.^[5][6] In February 2001, the Government presented third bill, which was rejected by parliament in October 2001.^[7][8][9]

On 11 February 2005, another bill failed by one vote. It was backed by 82 out of the 165 deputies present - most voting Social Democrats, Communists, the Freedom Union members and some deputies for the opposition Civic Democratic Party (ODS).^[10]

In April 2005, a new partnership bill passed its first reading in the chamber with 82 votes for and 9 against. On 16 December 2005, it passed its third reading with 86 votes for, 54 against, and 7 MPs not voting.^[11][12][13] On 26 January 2006, it was passed by the Senate (65 for, 14 against).^[14][15]

On February 16, 2006, President Václav Klaus vetoed the bill.^[16][17][18] In response, the Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek said that he would seek a parliamentary majority (101 votes) in the lower chamber to override the veto and did so successfully on March 15, 2006 with the exact number of votes needed (101) out of 177 votes cast.^{[19][20][21][22]} The bill became one of topics where political parties tried to position themselves before the June election. Opinion polls suggest that over 60 percent of Czechs support same-sex marriage or civil unions.

Statistics

By the end of 2010, 1,111 registered partnerships had been conducted in the Czech Republic, 66 of which have been since annulled.^[23]

See also

• LGBT rights in the Czech Republic
• Civil union
• Recognition of same-sex unions in Europe

References

1. ^ Nearly weds
2. ^ Gay marriage legalized
3. ^ Prague
4. ^ CZECH REPUBLIC: NO MARRIAGES FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS
5. ^ Gay-marriage bill is rejected
6. ^ NO TO REGISTERED PARTNERSHIP IN CZECH REPUBLIC
7. ^ Czech Gay Bill Drafted
8. ^ Gay marriage not likely in Czech Republic
9. ^ Equality for same-sex couples
10. ^ Czech Gay and Lesbian League upset about repeated rejection of same sex partnerships
11. ^ Czech MPs approve law on same-sex partnerships
12. ^ Czech Republic Takes First Step Towards Legal Gay Marriage
13. ^ Czech Republic, Austria Move To Legalize Gay Unions
14. ^ Bill on single sex partnerships makes it through both houses of Parliament
15. ^ Czech Gays Get Partner Rights
16. ^ Czech Republic President Vetoes Gay Union Bill
17. ^ Gay groups angered by president's veto of registered partnership bill
18. ^ Czech President Vetoes Gay Partner Bill
19. ^ Czech Parliament Overrides Veto, Passes Gay Partner Law
20. ^ Czech MPs approve gay rights law
21. ^ Czech Parliament Overrides Veto, Passes Gay Partner Law
22. ^ Same-sex registered partnerships to be introduced after deputies override presidential veto
23. ^ (Czech) Česko má 1111 registrovaných partnerství

External links

• Gay marriage bill likely to win approval
• Gay partnership law likely
• Czech Gov`t Delays Gay Partner Bill
• Same-sex unions: Is the Czech Republic ready for gay marriage?
• Gay and Lesbian League in Prague uses light-hearted comics to portray life without registered partnerships
• Registered partners bill likely to fall
• Czech President May Not Sign Gay Partnership Bill
• Social Democrats divided ahead of key vote on gay marriage
• Row over same sex partnership bill
• Partnerships: True test of the 'progressives'
• First homosexual couples strike registered partnership
• 582 same-sex couples registered partnerships within 2 years
• Gay marriages on the rise