Faroe Islands on the cusp of same-sex marriage

But the gay community will have to keep its celebrations outside of churches

Lagtinget, the Faroese parliament, has proposed to adopt the Danish same-sex marriage legislation this week, but added an exception that gay people are not permitted to wed in churches.

With 19 votes in favour and 14 votes against, Lagtinget agreed to a first reading of a proposal that allows gay couples to have a civil marriage.

“The church has been left out of the proposal, because otherwise it wouldn’t have been possible to get the religious parties to vote for it,” Georg L Petersen, the chief editor of the Faroese newspaper Dimmalæting, said according to DR Nyheder.

READ MORE: Church bells to ring for gays and lesbians

Heated debates
According to Lagtinget, the final reading of the proposal is expected to take place on Friday, when the proposal is likely to be formally approved.

The issue has been debated politically on the island for quite some time, but an agreement had not looked likely until the church exception was added.

Petersen contended that religious powers are very strong in the political arena and in the church on the island.

Denmark allowed same-sex marriage in Danish churches and at City Hall in June 2012.

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