Coalition may try to adopt civil union bill in autumn session – opposition MP

Opposition MP Agnė Širinskienė, member of the party the Nemunas Dawn, assumes that the current coalition may attempt to pass the civil union bill this autumn, before parliament’s composition changes after October’s election.

The MP told the radio station Žinių radijas on Friday that the vote may happen before November. She thinks that the Freedom Party may promise its support for the bill on real estate tax in return for two other coalition parties voting for the law on civil union.

The politician added that the Social Democratic Party (LSDP) promised to address legalisation of same-sex partnership but has distanced itself from the issue. Širinskienė says the LSDP realises that this is an unpopular topic among voters and thus it does not wish to lose votes on the centre-left.

As reported, the Seimas had approved the draft law on civil union after the consideration stage. The final vote remains in order to pass the law that would regulate relations between unmarried couples, including same-sex partners. However, it is still unclear if the bill is going to be included in the autumn session agenda.

Lithuania will hold elections to the Seimas on 13 October.