Finland's parliament approved a bill establishing marriage equality on November 28 by a vote of 105 to 92, the Advocate website reports today (November 30, 2014).
Although same-sex couples have had access to "registered partnerships" since 2002, the new law will end legal distinction between opposite-sex and same-sex partnerships, giving same-sex couples equal access to the rights affiliated with marriage, including adoption and name-change privileges.
Finland's Prime Minister, Alexander Stubb, supported the measure, authoring an open letter urging Parliament to approve the legislation ahead of the vote.
The new law is not expected to take effect until 2016, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Parliament's approval makes Finland the 12th European country to embrace marriage equality, and the last Nordic nation to do so.
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