Part of the LGBT rights series |
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Same-sex marriage has been legal in Greenland since 1 April 2016. Same-sex marriage legislation passed the Inatsisartut unanimously on 26 May 2015. Approval by the Folketing followed on 19 January 2016, and the law received royal assent on 3 February. The first same-sex marriage was performed in Nuuk on 1 April.
From 1996 to 2016, Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, recognised registered partnerships for same-sex couples, providing most, but not all, of the rights and benefits of marriage. The ability to enter into a partnership was closed off following the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Denmark's registered partnership law had been in operation since 1 October 1989. [1] [2] A bill to expand its application to Greenland was approved by the Inatsisartut on 14 May 1993 by a vote of 15–0 with 12 abstentions, and by the Folketing on 28 March 1996 by a vote of 104–1. The bill was given royal assent on 26 April 1996, [3] [4] and took effect on 1 July 1996. [5] [6] The law gave registered partners nearly identical rights to married couples, with these notable exceptions:
The first same-sex couple registered in 2002. [7] Registered partnerships are called nalunaarsukkamik inooqatigiinneq (pronounced [nalʉnaːsːukːamik inɔːqatsiɣiːnːɜq]) in Greenlandic, [8] and registreret partnerskab (pronounced [ʁekiˈstʁeˀð̩ ˈpʰɑːtnɐˌskɛˀp]) in Danish. [9] The law was repealed on 1 April 2016, and the ability to enter into a registered partnership was closed off on that date. Registered partners may retain their status or convert their union into a recognized marriage.
A resolution, [10] expressing Greenland's wish to opt in the current version of Denmark's marriage law, had its first reading in the Inatsisartut on 25 March 2015, [11] and was approved unanimously on second and final reading on 26 May 2015. [12] [13] [14]
Approval by the Folketing was required before the law could go into effect, however. A bill was submitted to the Folketing on 28 January 2015 and had its first reading on 26 May 2015. [15] It was planned to come into effect on 1 October 2015; however, it lapsed due to the 2015 parliamentary elections. [16] A nearly identical bill with only minor formal changes was submitted on 29 October and had its first reading on 5 November. [17] [18] The second reading occurred on 14 January 2016, and the bill was approved in its final reading on 19 January. [18] [19] The bill was given royal assent by Queen Margrethe II on 3 February, and took effect on 1 April 2016. [18] The first same-sex marriage in Greenland was performed on 1 April at the Hans Egede Church in Nuuk between Laila Mølgaard and Henriette Simonsen. [20] [21] [22]
Article 1 of the Marriage Act ( Danish: Ægteskabsloven; Greenlandic: Aappariinneq pillugu inatsit) now reads as follows:
Political affiliation | Voted for | Voted against | Absent (Did not vote)* |
---|---|---|---|
Siumutª | - | ||
Inuit Ataqatigiit | - | ||
Demokraatitª | - | - | |
Partii Naleraq | - | - | |
Atassutª | - | - | |
Total | 27 | 0 | 4* |
The Church of Greenland campaigned in favor of same-sex marriage legislation and worked closely with the government to ensure that same-sex couples would be able to have religious wedding ceremonies in the church. The Bishop of Greenland, Sofie Petersen, welcomed the legalization of same-sex marriage. [24]
Part of the LGBT rights series |
![]() |
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Greenland since 1 April 2016. Same-sex marriage legislation passed the Inatsisartut unanimously on 26 May 2015. Approval by the Folketing followed on 19 January 2016, and the law received royal assent on 3 February. The first same-sex marriage was performed in Nuuk on 1 April.
From 1996 to 2016, Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, recognised registered partnerships for same-sex couples, providing most, but not all, of the rights and benefits of marriage. The ability to enter into a partnership was closed off following the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Denmark's registered partnership law had been in operation since 1 October 1989. [1] [2] A bill to expand its application to Greenland was approved by the Inatsisartut on 14 May 1993 by a vote of 15–0 with 12 abstentions, and by the Folketing on 28 March 1996 by a vote of 104–1. The bill was given royal assent on 26 April 1996, [3] [4] and took effect on 1 July 1996. [5] [6] The law gave registered partners nearly identical rights to married couples, with these notable exceptions:
The first same-sex couple registered in 2002. [7] Registered partnerships are called nalunaarsukkamik inooqatigiinneq (pronounced [nalʉnaːsːukːamik inɔːqatsiɣiːnːɜq]) in Greenlandic, [8] and registreret partnerskab (pronounced [ʁekiˈstʁeˀð̩ ˈpʰɑːtnɐˌskɛˀp]) in Danish. [9] The law was repealed on 1 April 2016, and the ability to enter into a registered partnership was closed off on that date. Registered partners may retain their status or convert their union into a recognized marriage.
A resolution, [10] expressing Greenland's wish to opt in the current version of Denmark's marriage law, had its first reading in the Inatsisartut on 25 March 2015, [11] and was approved unanimously on second and final reading on 26 May 2015. [12] [13] [14]
Approval by the Folketing was required before the law could go into effect, however. A bill was submitted to the Folketing on 28 January 2015 and had its first reading on 26 May 2015. [15] It was planned to come into effect on 1 October 2015; however, it lapsed due to the 2015 parliamentary elections. [16] A nearly identical bill with only minor formal changes was submitted on 29 October and had its first reading on 5 November. [17] [18] The second reading occurred on 14 January 2016, and the bill was approved in its final reading on 19 January. [18] [19] The bill was given royal assent by Queen Margrethe II on 3 February, and took effect on 1 April 2016. [18] The first same-sex marriage in Greenland was performed on 1 April at the Hans Egede Church in Nuuk between Laila Mølgaard and Henriette Simonsen. [20] [21] [22]
Article 1 of the Marriage Act ( Danish: Ægteskabsloven; Greenlandic: Aappariinneq pillugu inatsit) now reads as follows:
Political affiliation | Voted for | Voted against | Absent (Did not vote)* |
---|---|---|---|
Siumutª | - | ||
Inuit Ataqatigiit | - | ||
Demokraatitª | - | - | |
Partii Naleraq | - | - | |
Atassutª | - | - | |
Total | 27 | 0 | 4* |
The Church of Greenland campaigned in favor of same-sex marriage legislation and worked closely with the government to ensure that same-sex couples would be able to have religious wedding ceremonies in the church. The Bishop of Greenland, Sofie Petersen, welcomed the legalization of same-sex marriage. [24]