Germany has voted to legalise same-sex marriage, by a clear majority.
393 German MPs voted to approve the amendment, while 226 voted against and four abstained.
The reform will give same-sex couples to full marital rights, as well as allowing them to adopt children.
The vote comes just days after Chancellor Angela Merkel dropped her opposition to the amendment.
On Monday, Merkel said that politicians could debate the issue as a ‘question of conscience’.
The vote was called by the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who currently form a coalition with Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The amendment, called “marriage for all”, allowed members of her coalition to vote freely and not tow the party line.
Merkel voted against legalising gay marriage, telling reporters, “For me, marriage in the Basic Law is marriage between a man and woman and that is why I did not vote in favour of this bill.”
However she continued saying, “I hope that the vote today not only promotes respect between different opinions but also brings more social cohesion and peace.”
Currently, Germany allows same-sex couples to enter civil partnerships. According to an AFP news agency, the legal code will now read, “Marriage is entered into for life by two people of different or the same sex.”
