Lithuanian lawmakers on Tuesday voted to keep a civil union bill, which proposes to recognise same-sex partnerships, on the parliament’s fall agenda.
In total, 48 MPs voted in favour of keeping the bill on the agenda, 48 were against, and seven abstained. In March, the Seimas removed the bill from its spring agenda after 59 MPs voted in favour, 44 were against, and 10 abstained.
In the spring of 2023, the Lithuanian parliament gave its initial backing to the civil union bill by a slight majority. The bill still needs to be put up for another vote in the Seimas to be adopted.
In Lithuania, partnerships are currently not legal for male-female or same-sex couples. Previous attempts to legalise partnerships in the parliament have been unsuccessful.
The bill stipulates that partners in a civil union would have joint assets but would also have the possibility to determine by separate agreement a different legal regime for their assets. They would also receive inheritance in accordance with the law and without paying inheritance taxes, be able to act in each other’s name and in each other’s interests, be able to represent each other in the field of healthcare, and would also have the right to access information on the partner’s health issues.
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