Denmark

On June 7, 1989, Denmark passed a first-of-its-kind law allowing same-sex couples to receive the same legal and fiscal rights provided by marriage through registered partnerships (with the exception of laws making explicit references to the sexes of married couples and regulations of international treaties). On January 18, 2012, the government of Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt introduced a gender-neutral marriage bill that would legalize marriage between same-sex couples through civil registry or the Church of Denmark. The bill passed by a vote of 85-24 on June 7, 2012 and took effect on June 15, 2012.