: Sweden approves same-sex marriage law

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News - Europe: Sweden approves same-sex marriage law

Stockholm - A broad majority in the Swedish parliament on Wednesday approved adoption of same-sex marriage legislation after a six-hour debate.

Six of the seven parties in parliament had backed the proposal drafted by the Committee on Civil Affairs to introduce a gender-neutral marriage law.

Only the Christian Democrats, one of the four parties in the ruling centre-right coalition, opposed the move.

Yvonne Andersson said her party wanted to maintain "a several hundred-year-old concept" about marriage.

Supporters of the gender-neutral legislation included Evon Frid of the Left Party who said it was "not a negative change, but a positive change".

The proposal was approved by a 261 to 22 vote, with 16 abstentions.