The long and hard-earned history of marriage equality across Europe

As Switzerland becomes the latest country to legalise same-sex marriage, we take a look back at the long, hard-earned history of marriage equality.

Switzerland voted Sunday (26 September) to legalise civil marriage and the right to adopt children for same-sex couples by a nearly two-thirds majority. According to the BBC, justice minister Karin Keller-Sutter said the first same-sex marriages could take place as early as July next year.

“Whoever loves each other and wants to get married will be able to do so, regardless of whether it is two men, two women or a man and a woman,” she added.

Switzerland is the 30th country to legalise same-sex marriage, the BBC says, joining a host of other European nations.

When did other countries recognise equal marriage?

The Netherlands - 2001
Belgium - 2003
Spain - 2005
Sweden - 2009
Portugal and Iceland - 2010
Denmark - 2012
France - 2013
England and Wales - 2014
Scotland - 2014
Luxembourg - 2015
Malta and Germany - 2017
Austria - 2019
Northern Irland - 2020

Like Italy, several other European countries recognise some form of same-sex unions including civil partnerships. According to the Pew Research Center, this includes Andorra, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Slovenia and Liechtenstein.

Same-sex marriage is still illegal, however, in many European. According to Euronews, Poland and Hungary constitutionally ban same-sex marriage.