Merkel: ‘Marriage is between a man and a woman’

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that while she supports Germany’s current registered partnership laws, she believes that marriage is between “a man and a woman.”

In an interview with German YouTube star LeFloid, Ms Merkel said that she opposed discrimination, but she was satisfied that Germany’s current legislation gave same-sex couples some of the same legal rights as married couples.

Along with Italy, Switzerland and Austria, Germany is now one of the few western European countries not to allow full marriage equality. Current registered partnership laws offering same-sex couples ‘marital’ tax benefits were introduced in 2001.

“I’m someone who is very supportive of us eliminating all discrimination,” Ms Merkel said. “We have come a long way; when I remember, 25 years ago, many people didn’t dare to say that they are gay or lesbian.

“Luckily we overcame this; you can enter a partnership, a civil partnership.”

She continued: “For me, personally, marriage is a man and a woman living together. That is my concept, but I support civil partnerships.”

Finally she added: “I support us not discriminating against them when it comes to taxes, and to remove any other discrimination wherever we may find it.”

Back in May, Merkel’s ruling CDU/CSU coalition agreed to make small changes to the country’s same-sex civil partnership rules, but reiterated that equal marriage is “not a goal” of her administration, despite Ireland’s historic referendum on the issue.

Polls have indicated that 75% of Germans are in favour of legalising gay marriage, as are the SPD and all opposition parties.

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