From: Hannele Lehtikuusi Subject: Finland/ MPs Press release Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 13:07:02 +0300 (EET DST) Press release by the MPs 28 May 1996 A BILL ON THE PARTNERSHIP OF SAME SEX COUPLES The law bill suggests that two persons of the same sex could form a (legally binding) partnership. The regulations on the conditions of forming and dissolving such a partnership would be correspond to those regulating marriage with a few exceptions. However, such a partnership would not mean marriage in its traditional sense. The bill was submitted to the Parliament on 28 May 1996 The bill does not suggest adoption or joint custody in a same sex partnership. Church wedding would remain a prerogative of the church enjoying autonomous decision-making. The same sex partnerships would not be confirmed in a church wedding. The judicial impact of a same sex partnership would otherwise correspond to contracting a marriage. According to the bill, in matters, such as family or inheritance the gay and lesbian couples in a partnership would be entitled to ensure a fair division of property at an end of a partnership. The authors of the bill feel that the right of persons of the same sex to enter a (legally binding) partnership is a matter of equality. The new regulations on basic right as written in the Constitution stipulate that no one must be subject to different treatment on the basis of one's sex, age, origin, language, religion, conviction, opinion, health, disability or any other reason pertaining to the person without an acceptable ground. A person's sexual orientation is to the highest extent such a personal ground on the basis of which discrimination is prohibited. In 1995, there were in Finland over 2000 paragraphs in over 200 laws which determined rights and responsibilities of married or common law couples. This situation discriminates gay and lesbian citizens without acceptable grounds. Three Nordic countries, viz. Sweden, Norway and Demark have already enacted laws on (legally binding) same sex partnerships. The Parliament of the Republic of Iceland is presently processing a corresponding law bill submitted by the Cabinet. A central issue in the Scandinavian legislation is that the laws concerning the same sex partnership are not included in the marriage legislation of these countries. The law bill we have now submitted corresponds to the Nordic models to a great extent. The first signatory to the bill was Ms Outi Ojala, MP (Leftist Alliance) and the bill has been signed by 45 MPs representing 7 fractions (Social Democrats 16, Left-Wing Alliance 11, Swedish People s Party 5, the Greens 8, the Young Finns 2, the National Coalition Party 2 and the Left Group 1).