Estonia

Estonia: Riigikogu votes against marriage referendum bill

While there was discussion earlier on Wednesday to withdraw the controversial marriage referendum bill, Riigikogu constitutional committee chairman Anti Poolamets (EKRE) decided to put it to a vote later in the evening. Only 29 MPs voted for the referendum bill, drawing an end to the saga.

Estonia: Prime minister resignation spells end of marriage referendum

Social Democratic Party (SDE) chair Indrek Saar says that the resignation of Jüri Ratas (Center) as prime minister, which in turn means the end of the current coalition, means those Center MPs opposed to a referendum on the definition of marriage can now vote against it more easily.

Estonia: President Kersti Kaljulaid urged to link the referendum to the issue of confidence in parliament

Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid on Monday, January 11, addressed the factions of the Riigikogu with a proposal to link the planned referendum on marriage with the question of confidence in parliament. According to Prime Minister Juri Ratas, the president is thus interfering too actively in current politics.

Estonia: Coalition agrees on marriage definition question wording

The three coalition parties have agreed on a question for a planned national poll on the definition of marriage. ERR's online news in Estonian reports that the question will be formulated as: "Should marriage in Estonia remain as a union between one man and one woman?".

Estonia's liberal reputation at stake as gay marriage referendum emboldens the far-right

Over the past decade, Estonia has developed an international reputation as both an economic tech hub and a liberal bastion of human rights. As well as opening its doors to digital nomads with initiatives such as e-residency, Estonia was the first state in the Baltics to pass a law on same-sex partnerships. But now its liberal reputation could be in trouble.

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Protect Intersex Persons' Rights, 34 States Tell UN

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In a historic first, 34 States from all regions of the world called on the UN Human Rights Council to urgently protect intersex persons in their bodily autonomy and right to health, 8 NGOs said today.