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Swiss to vote on allowing same-sex marriage in referendum

Swiss to vote on allowing same-sex marriage in referendum

Same sex marriage

Voters in Switzerland, one of the last Western European countries that still bans gaymarriage, will decide in areferendumon Sunday whether to allowsame-sexcouples to get married and adopt children.

The federal government and parliament have already approved the amended law, but opponents led by the right-wingSwissPeople's Party (SVP) forced areferendumon the issue under Switzerland's system of direct democracy.

According to the latest opinion poll, supporters ofsame-sexmarriagewere in the lead, with 63 per centof respondents saying they were in favour, but the "no" campaign has gathered steam over the last weeks.

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First indications from thevoteare expected at around 1030 GMT and the final result is due later in the day.

The amended law will make it possible forsame-sexcouples to get married, and to adopt children unrelated to them. Married lesbian couples would also be allowed to have children through sperm donation, currently legal only for married heterosexual couples.

It will also make it easier for foreign spouses of aSwissindividual to get citizenship.