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Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Czechs Back Civil Unions, Not Same-Sex Marriage
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the Czech Republic believe gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to form registered partnerships, according to a poll by CVVM. 69 per cent of respondents agree with this concept, up seven points in two years.
Still, 57 per cent of respondents are opposed to allowing same-sex couples to get married, and 67 per cent reject the possibility of gay and lesbian partners adopting children.
In 2005, both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate approved a bill that sought to allow same-sex couples in the Czech Republic to form registered partnerships. In February 2006, Czech president Vaclav Klaus vetoed the legislation. In March, the legislative branch overrode the veto. The law—which provides inheritance, alimony and hospital rights to same-sex partners—came into effect in July.
Former tennis champion Martina Navratilova—who was born in Czechoslovakia but has been a U.S. citizen since 1981—discussed the current state of affairs, saying, "Even the Czech Republic now has same-sex unions. I have more rights there than in the U.S."
Same-sex marriage is currently legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada and South Africa, and at least 18 countries offer some form of legal recognition to same sex unions.
Polling Data
Do you think same-sex couples should be allowed to form registered partnerships?
2007 | 2005 | |
Yes | 69% | 62% |
No | 24% | 30% |
Not sure | 7% | 8% |
Do you think same-sex couples should be allowed to get married?
2007 | 2005 | |
Yes | 36% | 42% |
No | 57% | 58% |
Not sure | 7% | -- |
Do you think same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt children?
2007 | 2005 | |
Yes | 22% | 28% |
No | 67% | 72% |
Not sure | 11% | -- |
Source: CVVM
Methodology: Interviews with 1,132 Czech adults, conducted from May 5 to May 14, 2007. No margin of error was provided.