Switzerland prepares for historic referendum on marriage equality after a long, bitter fight

On Sunday (26 September), Switzerland heads to the polls for a landmark vote on same-sex marriage, the culmination of eight long years of drawn out debate and intense campaigning.

The nation is one of the last western European countries without marriage equality and only introduced its first law banning anti-LGBT+ discrimination as recently as February 2020.

The upcoming national referendum represents a huge leap forward for civil rights: as well as opening up same-sex marriage it offers the chance for same-sex couples to adopt children, and for lesbian couples to access sperm donations.