Sweden

On April 1, 2009, a broad majority of the Swedish Parliament voted in support of a bill to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage. The proposal was approved by a 261 to 22 vote, with 16 abstentions. The new legislation took effect as of May 1, 2009, replacing the legislation approved in 1995 that allowed gay couples to form a union in Sweden via registered partnership. Couples who have registered partnership can keep that status or amend it to a marriage by an application to the authorities. On October 22, 2009, the Church of Sweden's board voted to allow priests to wed same-sex couples using the term "marriage."