Estonia has legalized marriage for same-sex couples.

Estonia has become the inaugural former Soviet state to legalize marriage equality.

Commencing this week, same-sex couples in Estonia can enter into marriage, marking the country as the first among the former Soviet nations to legalize marriage equality.

Marriage equality legislation was approved by the parliament of the Baltic state with a vote of 55 to 34 in June of the previous year. This decision followed the election of progressive Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in February 2023. The law officially came into effect on January 1, this past Monday.

Presently, same-sex couples have the option to submit marriage applications online. Typically, these applications take between one to six months to process, with the initial ones not anticipated to be finalized before February 2.

“Laws offer clarity and shape our perspectives,” remarked Minister of Social Protection Signe Riisalo. “I trust that baseless concerns will diminish, and critics of this decision will recognize that what is perceived as a loss is, in fact, a significant gain for many of us.”

In June of the previous year, LGBTQ+ individuals in Estonia expressed their appreciation to the parliament for passing the law. Numerous couples, who were previously in civil unions, are now planning to solemnize their marriages.

“For the LGBT+ community, this is a crucial message from the government, signaling that, at last, we are equal to other couples; that we are valued and entitled to the same services and opportunities,” conveyed Keio Soomelt, the manager of the Baltic Pride festival, to The Guardian.

In 1991, the year Estonia gained independence from the Soviet Union, homosexuality was decriminalized. However, it is only in recent times that a majority of the country has backed same-sex marriage. A decade ago, only 34% of Estonians supported marriage equality, while a slim majority—53%—now supports it, as indicated by a poll from the Estonian Human Rights Center.

“A decade ago, I didn’t witness as many same-sex couples openly holding hands in public,” noted Marielle Tuum, a Tallinn resident and teacher. She mentioned that people in Estonia are now more open, revealing her plan to marry her girlfriend in the spring and host a wedding in the fall.

“I’m thrilled that I can have a meaningful wedding here at home, rather than somewhere else with less significance,” she expressed.