Riga, 9 November 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Latvia's parliament voted on Thursday to allow same-sex couples to legally register their partnerships as of July 2024.

The new law establishes legal recognition of their civil unions, however the new regulations offer fewer rights than married couples.

The Latvian constitution expressly recognizes marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

After heated debate in parliament, a narrow majority of the 100 lawmakers voted in favour of the legislation, which is intended to offer same-sex couples a minimum level of legal and social protection.

Homosexuality is still a divisive topic in the EU country.

In this year's Rainbow Europe ranking by the organization ILGA Europe, Latvia landed in 37th place. The legal protections for LGBTQ people were only worse in fellow EU members Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.

Photo: MIA archive