Estonia Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage, a First for Ex-Soviet States

Estonia has become the first ex-Soviet country to legalize same-sex marriage after the parliament approved amendments to the Family Law Act. The amended act will go into effect from January 1, 2024, and will allow two adults to marry regardless of their gender. The amendments also mean that same-sex couples can now adopt children. A survey found that 53% of Estonians believe that same-sex partners should have the right to marry each other, the highest percentage recorded since the survey began in 2012.