Civil unions in Switzerland
On June 5th, 2005, the Swiss people approved by 58% in a referendum a government proposal to grant same-sex couples the same rights and protections as heterosexual couples, except:
However, in terms of next of kin status, taxation, social security, insurance, and shared possession of the apartment, etc., same-sex couples are granted the same rights. The official title of the same-sex union is "Eingetragene Partnerschaft", literally meaning "registered partnership". Parliament originally passed the law by a 3/4s majority in June 2004, but the conservative Federal Democratic Union collected signatures to force a referendum.
Same-sex marriages formed outside Switzerland (e.g. in the Netherlands, where this is allowed) will be acknowledged as civil unions. Switzerland was the first nation to pass a same-sex union law by referendum.
Canton laws
The canton of Geneva has had a law on cantonal level, "Registered Partnership" or "PACS" (Pacte civil de solidarité), since 2001. It grants unmarried couples, whether same-sex or opposite-sex, many rights, responsibilities and protections that married couples have. However, it does not allow benefits in taxation, social security, or health insurance premiums (unlike the federal law). The origin of the PACS lies in the French law of the same name. By February 2005, 215 same-sex and 54 opposite-sex couples took advantage of the law and 19 couples ended their partnerships.
In analogy to the verb "se marier" (to marry), in both the French-speaking parts of Switzerland as well as in France there exists the expression "se pacser".
On September 22nd, 2002, the canton of Zurich passed a same-sex partnership law by referendum (62.7% yes) that goes further than Geneva's law, but requires couples to live together for six months before registering. Between July 2003 and the end of 2004, 383 same-sex couples took advantage of the law.
In July 2004, the canton of Neuchâtel passed a law recognizing unmarried couples. 35 opposite-sex and 21 same-sex couples took advantage of the law by February 2005.
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