Babis comes out in favour of same-sex marriage

While an ongoing debate surrounding same-sex marriages in the Czech Republic continues to develop in the Czech Chamber of Deputies, proponents of gay marriage have a strong supporter in Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.

Over the weekend, Babiš voiced support for same sex marriages while appearing on a local news program on TV channel Prima.

“I think that same-sex couples should have the same rights to marriage,” Babiš told TV Prima reporters.

Currently, homosexual couples within the Czech Republic are able to form a registered partnership in lieu of marriage, though that registered partnership does not include all the rights afforded to hetereosexual couples.

Over the past half-year, the issue of legalizing same sex marriage has been making its way through the Czech Chamber of Deputies. Multiple sessions have been held over the past five months, with a resolution yet to be reached.

“It doesn’t bother me, though some have an issue with it,” Babiš continued, noting that not all others in his political party (ANO) share the same opinion.

“Some say the word ‘marriage’ is a connection between a man and a woman, and that it is a symbol.”

Babiš, meanwhile, supports a proposed amendment to the Civil Code proposed by 46 Czech MPs from ANO, the Czech Pirate Party, KSČM, ČSSD, TOP 09 and STAN. The amendment would do away with registered partnerships, and grant same sex couples the right to marriage.

Another proposal, signed by 37 members of KDU-ČSL, ANO, ODS, ČSSD, TOP 09 and STAN, seeks to preserve the traditional definition of marriage. A third proposal, which would blend elements of the other two resolutions, has much less support.

“It is not possible that I will incite everyone to change their minds within the movement, there are three camps in our country,” Babiš noted.

Czech MPs within the Chamber of Deputies are expected to reach a resolution regarding same-sex marriages in the Czech Republic in the coming months.