Subject: FINLAND/GREAT NEWS, May 30
From: Hannele Lehtikuusi <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 May 1996 13:41:44 +0300 (EET DST)

Hannele Lehtikuusi
chairperson
SETA
Finland

[email-masked]

Unexpected support!

PRIME MINISTER LIPPONEN SIGNED THE BILL 
ON SAME SEX MARRIAGE

Most of the Ministers to follow!

Mr Paavo Lipponen, Prime Minister has yesterday signed the Private Bill on 
the partnership of same-sex couples. Most of the Social Democratic 
Ministers have followed his example. The Ministers of the Left-Wing 
Alliance will sign the bill today. It is expected also that Minister 
Enestam, the Swedish Peoples Party will sign the bill. 
Then, over a half of the Ministers will have supported the bill.

This, somewhat peculiar gesture, is of utmost psychological 
importance. In the Finnish system, it is not customary for the 
Ministers to sign Private Bills. Thus, this very case 
emphasises the clear standing of the Ministers in support of the 
bill. 

There was an attempt in the Cabinet to embark on the 
preparations of the law last March, but nothing came out of it due to 
the Minister of Justice, Mr Hakamies explicitly refusing to initiate 
the preparations.
 
According to the information available now, there is a distinct 
majority in favour of the law in the Law Committee of the 
Parliament, which means that the bill will be taken up for further 
preparation.

The signatures of the Ministers emphasises the value of the bill and 
renders it a status (far) above any regular law in preparation.