Registered partnership in Finland

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Finland since 1 March 2017. A bill for legalization was approved by the Parliament on 12 December 2014 and signed by the President on 20 February 2015.

Previously, from 2002, registered partnerships (Finnish: rekisteröity parisuhde; Swedish: registrerat partnerskap) had been available for same-sex couples, which provided the same rights and responsibilities as marriage for opposite-sex couples, except e.g. adoption rights.

Legislation introducing registered partnerships (Finnish: rekisteröity parisuhde; Swedish: registrerat partnerskap) for same-sex couples was passed by the Parliament on 28 September 2001 with a vote of 99–84. The Act on Registered Partnerships went into effect on 1 March 2002. Registered partnerships, which were available only to same-sex couples, provided the same rights and responsibilities as marriage for opposite-sex couples, except in e.g. adoption rights and family names, and they were registered and dissolved using a procedure similar to that for civil marriage. The legislation also granted immigration rights to a foreign partner.

In May 2009, the Parliament revised the act allowing couples to adopt the biological children of their partner. Since 1 March 2017, it is not possible to enter into a new registered partnership anymore and existing registered partnerships can be converted into marriages on request.

A poll conducted by Christian newspaper Kotimaa reported in March 2010 that a narrow majority of Finnish MPs opposed same-sex marriage. Of the 126 MPs who responded asked if they would support a gender-neutral Marriage Act 46% were in favour and 54% were opposed. 63% of Social Democratic representatives supported same-sex marriage as well all MPs from the Greens and Left Alliance. Majorities of the Centre Party and National Coalition Party opposed same-sex marriage.

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