Czech lawmakers approve bill on same-sex unions, without the right to adopt children

The Czech lower house on Wednesday approved a bill on same-sex unions. The law should give same-sex couples the same rights as those of heterosexual married couples with the exception of adopting children. The only case in which homosexuals will be able to adopt a child is if one of them is the child’s biological parent. Due to protests from conservative lawmakers the same-sex unions will technically be called “partnerships”. The bill was approved in its third and final reading on Wednesday and will now go to the Senate for debate and will need to be signed into law by the president before coming into effect. Of the 176 MPs present, 123 voted in favour of the bill.