Lithuanian Families’ Movement: Same-sex civil union is unconstitutional

In the opinion of the Lithuanian Families’ Movement, the institution of a civil union between two partners of the same sex contradicts the constitutional concept of the natural family. That is reported by Laikmetis.

In a public appeal, the movement writes that all legal acts that change the constitutional concept of the natural family should be resolved only by a national referendum. “All attempts to adopt legal acts contradicting it are unconstitutional and should be assessed as anti-state activities.” According to the organisation, most Lithuanians are opposed to legalising same-sex partnerships.

The draft law aims at establishing a so-called civil union by which same-sex couples can legally protect their relationship. Partners would not get married at a civil registry office but record their relationship with a notary.

However, according to the Lithuanian Families’ Movement, the proposal is a step towards recognising and legalising same-sex marriages. “In some countries, civil union and registered partnerships are already considered equivalent to marriage. The partnership institute was practically an intermediate legal step in basically all EU countries that recognised same-sex marriages”, the organisation warns.

Liberal Movement welcomes proposal

Recently, the leader of the Freedom Party, Aušrinė Armonaitė, asked the Liberal Movement to support their motion for the realisation of civil unions. Armonaitė called the proposal “another exam” that needed to be passed. The Freedom Party and the Liberal Movement belong to the ruling coalition, complemented by the conservative Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party.

According to the chairwoman of the Liberal Party, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, most of her party members support the proposal. “I hope it will be approved this time”, she told reporters.