From: Hannele Lehtikuusi Subject: Latest News/FINLAND Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1996 21:59:14 +0200 (EET) Latest News/ FINLAND Hannele Lehtikuusi Chairperson National SETA GROUPS OF MINISTERS FROM THE CABINET PARTIES READY FOR A BILL ON THE SAME SEX MARRIAGES -Only the Ministers of the National Coalition Party without a common stand - The Minister Groups of the parties presently in the Finnish Cabinet have expressed their views on a possible bill on the same sex marriages and the timetable such a bill would require. The Minister Groups of the Social Democrats, the Left Alliance and the Greens felt that such a bill should be enacted. The Swedish National Party reminded of the positive stand taken at their Party Assembly and also felt that the Nordic views on the matter should be taken into consideration in Finland, too. The above mentioned groups found that the bill should be prepared in the Ministry of Justice. The National Coalition Party (Conservatives) were the only Minister Group to state that no common stand could be expressed. SETA, the National Organization for Sexual Equality states that the replies received were in line with a recent survey made in the Parliament (Swedish News on the TV / weekly commentary OBS! 12 February 1996) where 95 MPs were for the bill and 66 against with 36 not taking a stand. Three MPs had not been reached for the survey. SETA feels that a Bill on the same sex marriage needs to be submitted to the Parliament in the course of the year following the customary legislative action. The laws in force in the other Nordic Countries, the bill by MP Outi Ojala (Ms) during the term of office of the former Parliament as well as the study on same-sexed partnerships in the legislation by Mr Rainer Hiltunen, Master of Law, create a clear foundation to prepare the bill. The unwillingness of the present Minister of Justice Mr. Hakamies to go into the juridical part of the issue must not hinder equal treatment of citizens. Further information: Hannele Lehtikuusi Rainer Hiltunen chairperson/SETA vice chairperson/SETA haski@clinet.fi rainer@seta.f ............................................................ APPENDIX: THE REPLIES OF THE MINISTER GROUPS SETA asked the Minister Groups the following questions: 1. Does your Minister Group feel that a bill on same sex marriage should be enacted? 2. What would be the timetable that your Minister Group would think that such a bill can be prepared and when could the Cabinet submit the bill to the Parliament? THE REPLIES The Social Democrat Group of Ministers: 1. The bill should be enacted. 2. The bill should be prepared without delay. The Left Alliance 1. Yes. 2. We feel that such a bill should be prepared soon and the bill should be enacted in the course of the year. As to the timetable, the Minister of Justice has a crucial position. We are ready to hasten the process in an appropriate manner. The Greens: 1. Yes. 2. Questions about the timetable, such as when this bill could be submitted to the Parliament, should be addressed to the Ministry of Justice. This is a matter to be prepared in the Ministry. The Swedish National Party: 1. The Assembly of the Swedish National Party took a stand in 1994 that a Bill on the same sex marriage should be enacted and that the Bill should be formulated in a manner ensuring that no one can be discriminated due to one's sexual orientation. This decision was made upon voting. As the attitude towards the issue may depend on deeply personal views, the decision was felt to have formed a consultative poll. The MPs to take the final decision will - as always - have complete freedom to consider the matter. The Minister Group of the Swedish National Party also feels that the decisions made in Denmark, Norway and Sweden should be borne in mind while taking a stand in Finland. 2. It is up to the Ministry of Justice to prepare the bill. We are ready to process the Bill as soon as it will be taken up in the Cabinet. National Coalition Party: The reply to the question depends greatly on the value and moral background of each person. In a matter of this kind the Group of Ministers of the National Coalition Party feels that a common view to be expressed by the group is not justified.