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Civil unions were introduced in Denmark by law on June 7 1989, the world's first such law. It has the form of a registered partnership (Danish: "registreret partnerskab"), but has almost all the same qualities as marriage. All legal and fiscal rights and obligations are like those of opposite-sex marriage, with four exceptions: Divorce for registered partners follow the same rules as ordinary divorces. Only citizens of countries that recognise same-sex marriages can enter a registered partnership in Denmark. This rule excludes foreigners from entering registered partnerships that will not be legally valid in their home country. By January 1 2002, there were more than 2000 registered partnerships in Denmark, of which 220 had children.
Role of state church Registered partnership is by civil ceremony only. The Danish state church, generally more conservative about same-sex issues than the Danish people, has yet to decide how to handle the issue, but the general attitude of the church seems approving but hesitant. Some priests perform blessings of gay couples, and this is accepted by the church, which states that the church blesses people, not institutions. See also | ||||||||
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