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Wed, 25 Jun, 2014 12:01:03 AM FTimes-STT Report, June 25  Male Couple at Their Home. Photo – Lehtikuva. The parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee, apparently divided on the same-sex marriage issue, is today expected to vote on the marriage equality bill.
Members of parliament reached by news agency STT predict that the vote will be very tight and the outcome is likely to be negative.
Anne Holmund, the chair of the committee told STT that she did not want to speculate on decision of the committee in advance.
Mikael Jungner, a member of the committee said Wednesday's vote is a question of whether the committee report will support the initiative or discard it.
Jungner stated that in any case the parliament will resolve the matter in autumn.
The Legal Affairs Committee had previously rejected a bill to legalise same-sex marriage which had been signed by 76 lawmakers.
Earlier on February 20, debate among the lawmakers from the treasury bench and opposition took place in the parliament during the discussion on the bill, although it was less intense discussion compared to the previous one.
The opposition Persusuomalaiset (Finns) opposed the initiative from the traditional understanding of marriage and the interest of the next generation.
Other opponents faulted the media and argued that the media is guilty of propagating the idea.
The citizen initiative, calling for wider marriage rights including right to same-sex marriage, has collected more than 164,000 signatures.
The last time the bill was discussed in parliament was a year ago when 76 MPs signed the bill; but it faltered when the Legal Affair Committee voted 9-8 to reject the petition.
The Rainbow Families, an association for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents and their children, expressed hopes that the House would deal with the issue more tactfully this time.
In March 2013, the citizens’ campaign collected 100,000 signatures from people who supported same-sex marriage.
At least 50,000 signatures are needed to introduce a debate in parliament on any issue.
Same sex marriages are recognised in all the Nordic countries except Finland.
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