Same-sex marriage in Liechtenstein
[1][2] In November 2022, the Landtag passed a motion calling on the government to introduce a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, with broad support from across the political spectrum.
A bill legalizing same-sex marriage was introduced in February 2024 and passed its final reading in the Landtag on 16 May 2024 by a 24–1 vote.
On 19 November 2001, MP Paul Vogt from the Free List submitted a registered partnership initiative to the Landtag of Liechtenstein, which after a long discussion referred it to the cabinet for its opinion.
On 15 April 2003, the cabinet published its position on the matter; it compared the legal situation in Liechtenstein with European countries with recognition of same-sex couples (e.g. Germany had recently introduced registered life partnerships), but also with neighbouring Austria and Switzerland, which had no legal recognition of same-sex couples at the time.
[10][11] In December 2009, Justice Minister Aurelia Frick announced she would finalise a draft of the registered partnership bill by January 2010.
On that same day, Parliament narrowly rejected an amendment that would have excluded same-sex couples from access to joint adoption and assisted reproductive technology.
[45][46] After a consultation period lasting from 6 July to 30 September 2022, the government passed a motion for full adoption equality for same-sex couples on 31 October 2022.
MP Daniel Seger from the Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP), who had helped draft the partnership law, welcomed the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Germany and hoped Liechtenstein would follow suit.
[63] In 2018, a same-sex couple, Lukas Oehri and Dario Kleeb, were denied a marriage license at the Civil Registry Office in Vaduz.
They filed suit in court, arguing that the same-sex marriage ban was a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Constitution of Liechtenstein.
[65][66] Minister of Social Affairs Mauro Pedrazzini said he expected discussion on the issue to become quite present in the lead up to the February 2021 parliamentary election.
A spokesman for the Pariotic Union (VU) said the party had "more pressing issues", but said they would follow the developments in Switzerland and take a formal decision later on.
[70] Following the election, the Liechtensteiner Vaterland reported that there was a "solid majority" in the Landtag to legalise same-sex marriage.
[71] On 24 March 2021, the VU and the FBP signed a coalition agreement, with the government programme including the promise that "legal certainty for non-traditional family models will be improved".
[73] On 29 September 2021, the Landtag held a debate in which the majority of political parties broadly agreed that same-sex marriage should be legalized.
[75] On 21 September 2022, a motion calling on the government to introduce a bill legalizing same-sex marriage was submitted to the Landtag by 15 out of the 25 sitting members.
[86] On 6 February 2024, the government published the results of the consultation report and introduced a bill amending the three aforementioned laws to the Landtag.
Under the proposal, no new registered partnerships would be established in Liechtenstein, although existing ones would continue to be recognised and could be converted into marriage via a simple procedure.
[105] Protesting the passage of a same-sex marriage motion in the Landtag, he announced in December 2022 that he would cancel a Mass traditionally held on New Year's Day at the opening session of Parliament.
