In Switzerland, same-sex marriage bill will be put to referendum on September 26

After years of debate and discussion, the Swiss parliament approved a bill last December allowing same-sex couples to marry. But the bill was challenged under Switzerland’s direct democratic system, with opponents gathering more than the 50,000 signatures needed to put the issue to a referendum, set to be held on September 26. [...] The government and parliament have urged voters to back the “marriage for all” initiative at the polls, and to eliminate the current “unequal treatment” between heterosexual and gay couples. If approved, the law change will allow gays and lesbians to marry in civil ceremonies, and provide them with the same rights as other married couples. Foreign spouses in same-sex relationships will become eligible to apply for citizenship through a simplified procedure, and same-sex couples will be permitted to jointly adopt. Lesbian couples will also have access to sperm donations.
Read the full article here: The Local