# Same-sex marriage in Finland

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Same-sex union legislation
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Notes
1 2 Performed in the Netherlands proper (including the Caribbean Netherlands), as well as in Aruba and Curaçao. May be registered in Sint Maarten in such cases, but the rights of marriage are not guaranteed.
↑ Neither performed nor recognized in Niue, Tokelau, or the Cook Islands.
↑ Neither performed nor recognized in six British Overseas Territories.
1 2 Neither performed nor recognized in some tribal nations of the US. Recognized but not performed in several other tribal nations and American Samoa.
↑ Registered foreign marriages confer all marriage rights in Israel. Domestic common-law marriages confer most rights of marriage. Domestic civil marriage recognized by some cities.
1 2 3 4 5 The Coman v. Romania ruling of the European Court of Justice obliges the state to provide residency rights for the foreign spouses of EU citizens. Some member states, including Romania, do not follow the ruling.
↑ A "declaration of family relationship" is available in several of Cambodia's communes which may be useful in matters such as housing, but is not legally binding.
↑ Guardianship agreements confer some limited legal benefits in China, including decisions about medical and personal care.
↑ Hong Kong provides inheritance, guardianship rights, and residency rights for foreign spouses of legal residents.
↑ Indian courts have recognised guru–shishya, nata pratha or maitri karar–type contractual relationships, but they are not legally binding.
↑ Most Japanese cities and prefectures issue partnership certificates, but they are not legally binding.
↑ Marriages conducted abroad between a Namibian national and a foreign spouse provide residency rights in Namibia.
↑ Romania provides hospital visitation rights through a "legal representative" status. :
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Same-sex marriage has been legal in Finland since 1 March 2017. A bill for the legalisation of same-sex marriages was approved by the Finnish Parliament in a vote of 101–90 on 12 December 2014, and signed into law by President Sauli Niinistö on 20 February 2015. Further legislation to harmonise other laws with the legalisation of same-sex marriage was passed in 2016. The law took effect on 1 March 2017. Polling suggests that a majority of Finns support the legal recognition of same-sex marriage. Finland was the last Nordic sovereign state, the twelfth country in Europe and the twentieth in the world to allow same-sex couples to marry nationwide.
From 2002 until 2017, Finland recognized registered partnerships for same-sex couples, which provided the same rights and responsibilities as marriage with the exception of joint adoption rights and the right to a joint last name.

## Registered partnerships

Legislation introducing registered partnerships (Finnish: rekisteröity parisuhde, pronounced; Swedish: registrerat partnerskap, pronounced) for same-sex couples was passed by the Parliament of Finland on 28 September 2001 with a vote of 99–84. The law went into effect on 1 March 2002. Registered partnerships, which were available only to same-sex couples, provided the same rights and responsibilities as marriage for opposite-sex couples, except for adoption rights and the ability to take a common family name, and they were registered and dissolved using a procedure similar to that for civil marriage. The legislation also granted immigration rights to a foreign partner.
The Parliament revised the law in May 2009, allowing a person in a registered partnership to adopt the biological children of their partner. On 1 March 2017, the ability to enter into a registered partnership was closed off. No further partnerships are granted in Finland, and existing registered partners only retain their status if they do not marry.

## Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Finland since 1 March 2017. Legislation to open marriage to same-sex couples passed the Parliament of Finland on 12 December 2014 with support from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Green League, the Left Alliance, the Swedish People's Party and the National Coalition Party (NCP). The Finns Party, the Christian Democrats and the Centre Party opposed same-sex marriage, though the latter has since rejected attempts to repeal the same-sex marriage law. In Finnish public discourse, same-sex marriage is commonly referred to as "equal marriage" or "gender-neutral marriage".

### 2007–2011 parliamentary term

A poll conducted by Christian newspaper Kotimaa in March 2010 showed that a narrow majority of Finnish MPs opposed same-sex marriage. Of the 126 MPs who were asked if they would support a gender-neutral marriage law, 46% were in favour and 54% were opposed. 63% of Social Democratic lawmakers supported same-sex marriage as well as all MPs from the Greens and the Left Alliance. A majority of MPs from the Centre Party and the National Coalition Party opposed same-sex marriage. However, a later survey in April 2010 by Helsingin Sanomat reported that there was cross-party support for same-sex marriage and joint adoption rights. The Secretary of the National Coalition Party, Taru Tujunen, said that an initiative on same-sex marriage would be put forward at the next party conference. At their June 2010 party conference, the NCP delegates voted in favor of a gender-neutral marriage law, though the vice-chairman of the NCP parliamentary group, Ben Zyskowicz, said that a majority of NCP MPs were against it. Two weeks earlier, the Social Democrats passed a measure in favor of same-sex marriage. The Left Alliance and the Green League also support it. Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, who held a speech at the opening ceremony of Helsinki Pride week on 28 June 2010, said he supports a gender-neutral marriage law with full adoption rights for same-sex couples.
On 2 July 2010, Justice Minister Tuija Brax announced that the Ministry of Justice would be preparing a reform to the Marriage Act (Finnish: Avioliittolaki; Swedish: Äktenskapslag) in the autumn of 2011. It was considered possible that same-sex marriage would be legalized after the 2011 parliamentary elections, where it was speculated to turn into a major theme, though in an August 2010 survey by Yle only 20% of respondents said the issue should be a major theme.

### 2011–2015 parliamentary term

According to the voting advice application of the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, 90 of the 200 MPs elected in April 2011 supported joint adoption rights for same-sex couples, while 93 MPs were opposed. Upon joining the Katainen Cabinet, the Christian Democrats required assurance that no government bill would legalise same-sex marriage. However, it was agreed during talks on government formation that, if proposed as a member's initiative by individual MPs, such a bill could be endorsed by the remaining five parties in government: the National Coalition Party, the Social Democrats, the Left Alliance, the Green League and the Swedish People's Party. The legislative proposal was presented as a member's initiative on 29 September 2011.
On 21 March 2012, after five months of signature gathering among MPs, the bill to legalize same-sex marriage was submitted to Parliament. 76 out of the 199 voting MPs had signed their support for the draft bill, and several additional members were expected to vote for it, including Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen. On 27 February 2013, the bill was voted down by the Legal Affairs Committee in a 9–8 vote. After being turned down by the committee, a similar bill was put forward as a citizens' initiative, organised by the Tahdon2013 campaign ("I do 2013"). The campaign started to gather signatures on 19 March 2013, and by the evening of the first day, the initiative had gathered over 90,000 online signatures, eventually reaching a total of 166,851 signatures. The required minimum for an initiative to be sent to Parliament is 50,000 signatures.
Citizens' initiatives had only been possible in Finland since 2012. Therefore, in March 2013, it was still unclear whether a citizens' initiative would be considered on equal footing with a government bill (hallituksen esitys, regeringens proposition), or a member's initiative (lakialoite, lagmotion). Members' initiatives signed by at least 100 MPs are given precedence in the legislative process, while initiatives with less signatures mostly expire at the end of the legislative session. In April 2013, the Speaker's Council of Parliament issued guidelines for processing citizens' initiatives in Parliament. According to these recommendations, all initiatives are to be forwarded to a committee selected by the plenary session. Within six months, the committee must notify the signatories about its intended course of action, such as conducting specialist hearings or deciding whether to recommend the initiative for a vote in the plenary session. The committee operates independently and has full authority over the handling of the initiative.
Signature gathering for the same-sex marriage initiative ended after the standard six months period in September 2013, and the initiative was submitted to Parliament on 13 December 2013. In February 2014, the initiative was sent to the Legal Affairs Committee. The committee voted unanimously to schedule a public hearing for 13 March 2014. After the public hearing, Yle reported that the initiative would be sent to the plenary session and not die in the committee. On 25 June 2014, after multiple committee hearings with experts, the Legal Affairs Committee voted 10–6 against same-sex marriage. The vote would have been closer but two members in favour of same-sex marriage missed the vote and were replaced by one substitute member against it.
On 20 November 2014, the committee voted 9–8 for recommending that the Parliament reject the same-sex marriage legislation. In the bill's first reading on 28 November 2014, the full session of Parliament, by a vote of 92–105, did not accept that recommendation. Due to the Parliament not accepting the recommendation, the Grand Committee continued consideration of the initiative on 3 December 2014, eventually voting 17–8 in favour. The legislation was approved 101–90 by the full session of Parliament in its final reading on 12 December, and was signed into law by President Sauli Niinistö on 20 February 2015. The same-sex marriage law was short; it added the following sentence to article 1 of the Marriage Act: Two people who have agreed to marry each other are engaged. Parliament also approved a statement requiring the next government to draft necessary amendments to other relevant acts to replace specific references to opposite-sex couples with gender-neutral language. The law took effect on 1 March 2017.
12 December 2014 vote in the Parliament of Finland :
| Party | Voted for | Voted against | Abstained | Absent (Did not vote) |
| G National Coalition Party | 26 Markku EestiläLeena HarkimoTimo HeinonenHarri JaskariSampsa KatajaPia KaumaPauli KiuruEsko KurvinenSanna LauslahtiElina LepomäkiMarjo Matikainen-KallströmOuti MäkeläTapani MäkinenLasse MännistöPetteri OrpoJaana PelkonenPertti SalolainenSari SarkomaaAlexander StubbEero SuutariLenita ToivakkaAnu UrpalainenSinuhe WallinheimoJan VapaavuoriSofia VikmanAnne-Mari Virolainen | 15 Heikki AuttoPertti HemmiläAnne HolmlundKalle JokinenJukka KopraEero LehtiMikael PalolaPekka RaviPaula RisikkoJanne SankeloKimmo SasiArto SatonenKari TolvanenRaija VahasaloBen Zyskowicz | – | 3 Sanni Grahn-LaasonenIlkka KanervaMarkku Mäntymaa |
| G Social Democratic Party | 36 Jouni BackmanEeva-Johanna ElorantaMaarit Feldt-RantaTarja FilatovJukka GustafssonMaria GuzeninaRakel HiltunenSusanna HuovinenLauri IhalainenMikael JungnerIlkka KantolaSaara KarhuMika KariAnneli KiljunenKrista KiuruJohannes KoskinenMerja KuusistoSuna KymäläinenJukka KärnäAntti LindtmanPäivi LipponenRiitta MyllerJohanna Ojala-NiemeläHeli PaasioTuula PeltonenMatti SaarinenKristiina SalonenJouko SkinnariKatja TaimelaHanna TainioErkki TuomiojaTytti TuppurainenJutta UrpilainenPauliina ViitamiesPia ViitanenTuula Väätäinen | 3 Raimo PiirainenKari RajamäkiHarry Wallin | – | 2 Merja Mäkisalo-RopponenSirpa Paatero |
| Finns Party | 1 Arja Juvonen | 35 Juho EerolaRitva ElomaaLauri HeikkiläReijo HongistoOlli ImmonenAri JalonenAnssi JoutsenlahtiJohanna JurvaPietari JääskeläinenPentti KettunenKimmo KiveläOsmo KokkoJari LindströmMaria LohelaAnne LouhelainenPirkko MattilaLea MäkipääHanna MäntyläMartti MölsäMika NiikkoJussi NiinistöPentti OinonenTom PackalénMika RaatikainenPirkko Ruohonen-LernerVesa-Matti SaarakkalaTimo SoiniIsmo SoukolaMaria TolppanenReijo TossavainenKaj TurunenKauko TuupainenPertti VirtanenVille VähämäkiJuha Väätäinen | – | 1 Teuvo Hakkarainen |
| Centre Party | 6 Mikko AlataloAntti KaikkonenPaula LehtomäkiTuomo PuumalaAnnika SaarikkoKimmo Tiilikainen | 29 Sirkka-Liisa AnttilaLasse HautalaTimo KalliAnne KalmariElsi KatainenInkeri KerolaEsko KivirantaKatri KomiTimo KorhonenLaila KoskelaSeppo KääriäinenJari LeppäMika LintiläMarkus LohiEeva-Maria MaijalaAila PaloniemiMauri PekkarinenTerhi PeltokorpiArto PirttilahtiAntti RantakangasJuha RehulaEero ReijonenSimo RundgrenMikko SavolaJuha SipiläAri TorniainenTapani TölliMirja VehkaperäAnu Vehviläinen | 1 Markku Rossi | – |
| Left Alliance | 12 Paavo ArhinmäkiKatja HänninenRisto KalliorinneAnna KontulaMartti KorhonenAnnika LapintieSilvia ModigJari MyllykoskiAino-Kaisa PekonenEila TiainenKari UotilaErkki Virtanen | – | – | – |
| G Swedish People's Party | 9 Thomas BlomqvistJörn DonnerChristina GestrinAnna-Maja HenrikssonElisabeth NauclérMikaela NylanderMats NylundStefan WallinUlla-Maj Wideroos | 1 Lars Erik Gästgivars | – | – |
| Green League | 9 Outi Alanko-KahiluotoTuija BraxSatu HaapanenPekka HaavistoJohanna KarimäkiVille NiinistöAnni SinnemäkiOsmo SoininvaaraJani Toivola | – | – | 1 Oras Tynkkynen |
| G Christian Democrats | – | 6 Sauli AhvenjärviJouko JääskeläinenPeter ÖstmanSari PalmLeena RauhalaPäivi Räsänen | – | – |
| Dissidents from the Left Alliance | 2 Markus MustajärviJyrki Yrttiaho | – | – | – |
| Change 2011 | – | 1 James Hirvisaari | – | – |
| Total | 101 | 90 | 1 | 7 |
| Total | 50.8% | 45.2% | 0.5% | 3.5% |

### 2015–2019 parliamentary term

Following elections in April 2015, a conservative government was formed, consisting of the Centre Party, the Finns Party and the National Coalition Party. Despite a majority of its MPs having voted against same-sex marriage, it was supposed to introduce amendments to other acts which still referred to married spouses as "man and woman". While the Finns Party thought the gender-neutral marriage law should be repealed, the other two parties generally disagreed. With the exception of the Christian Democrats, all opposition parties supported updating the language in other laws to reflect gender-neutral terms.
On 22 October 2015, the Parliament began debating legislation to amend other acts that still had specific references to opposite-sex couples. Minister of Justice Jari Lindström from the Finns Party, who introduced the bill, said he did so despite his personal opposition. On 11 December 2015, the Legal Affairs Committee recommended the adoption of the bill with amendments. The bill was approved by Parliament in a 106–42 vote on 17 February 2016. It was signed by President Niinistö on 8 April 2016 and took effect on 1 March 2017, on the same day as the amendments to the Marriage Act. Among laws amended were the Act on Population Information System and the Population Register Centre Certificate Services (661/2009), the Act on the Gender Recognition of Transsexuals (563/2002), and the Religious Freedom Act (453/2003).
17 February 2016 vote in the Parliament of Finland :
| Party | Voted for | Voted against | Abstained | Absent (Did not vote) |
| G Centre Party | 22 Mikko AlataloAnne BernerHannakaisa HeikkinenPetri HonkonenMikko KärnäElsi KatainenTimo KorhonenHanna KosonenKatri KulmuniMika LintiläAila PaloniemiUlla ParviainenTuomo PuumalaOlli RehnJuha RehulaMarkku RossiAnnika SaarikkoJuha SipiläKimmo TiilikainenAri TorniainenMatti VanhanenAnu Vehviläinen | 12 Sirkka-Liisa AnttilaLasse HautalaHannu HoskonenSeppo KääriäinenTimo KalliEsko KivirantaAntti KurvinenMauri PekkarinenJuha PylväsMikko SavolaMartti TaljaTapani Tölli | – | 15 Olavi Ala-NissiläPertti HakanenMarisanna JarvaKauko JuhantaloAntti KaikkonenAnne KalmariNiilo KeränenJari LeppäMarkus LohiEeva-Maria MaijalaMarkku PakkanenArto PirttilahtiAntti RantakangasMirja VehkaperäEerikki Viljanen |
| G Finns Party | 3 Tiina ElovaaraArja JuvonenVille Tavio | 24 Juho EerolaSimon EloRitva Kike ElomaaTeuvo HakkarainenReijo HongistoLaura HuhtasaariOlli ImmonenAri Kristian JalonenToimi KankaanniemiKimmo KiveläKari KulmalaRami LehtoJani MäkeläLea MäkipääLeena MeriMartti MölsäMika NiikkoMika RaatikainenJari RonkainenVesa-Matti SaarakkalaSami SavioSampo TerhoKaj TurunenVille Vähämäki | – | 10 Jari LindströmAnne LouhelainenHanna MäntyläPirkko MattilaJussi NiinistöPentti OinonenTom PackalénVeera RuohoTimo SoiniMaria Tolppanen |
| G National Coalition Party | 25 Markku EestiläSanni Grahn-LaasonenAntti HäkkänenHarry HarkimoHarri JaskariPauli KiuruJaana Laitinen-PesolaSanna LauslahtiElina LepomäkiOuti MäkeläSari MultalaKai MykkänenPetteri OrpoSari RaassinaPertti SalolainenSari SarkomaaArto SatonenAlexander StubbEero SuutariMari-Leena TalvitieLenita ToivakkaKari TolvanenJuhana VartiainenAnne-Mari VirolainenSinuhe Wallinheimo | – | – | 12 Timo HeinonenKalle JokinenIlkka KanervaJukka KopraSusanna KoskiEero LehtiJaana PelkonenPaula RisikkoWille RydmanSaara-Sofia SirénSofia VikmanBen Zyskowicz |
| Social Democratic Party | 25 Eeva-Johanna ElorantaMaarit Feldt-RantaTarja FilatovJukka GustafssonMaria GuzeninaTimo HarakkaEero HeinäluomaSusanna HuovinenLauri IhalainenIlkka KantolaAnneli KiljunenSuna KymäläinenAntti LindtmanSanna MarinIlmari NurminenJohanna Ojala-NiemeläJoona RäsänenNasima RazmyarAntti RinneKristiina SalonenVille SkinnariKatja TaimelaTytti TuppurainenJutta UrpilainenPia Viitanen | 1 Harry Wallin | – | 8 Tuula HaatainenMika KariKrista KiuruMerja Mäkisalo-RopponenRiitta MyllerSirpa PaateroSatu TaavitsainenErkki Tuomioja |
| Green League | 14 Touko AaltoOuti Alanko-KahiluotoPekka HaavistoHanna HalmeenpääSatu HassiHeli JärvinenJohanna KarimäkiJyrki KasviKrista MikkonenVille NiinistöOlli-Poika ParviainenJani ToivolaAntero VartiaOzan Yanar | – | – | 1 Emma Kari |
| Left Alliance | 10 Li AnderssonPaavo ArhinmäkiKatja HänninenAnnika LapintieSilvia ModigJari MyllykoskiAino-Kaisa PekonenHanna SarkkinenMatti SemiKari Uotila | – | – | 2 Anna KontulaMarkus Mustajärvi |
| Swedish People's Party | 7 Eva BiaudetCarl HaglundAnna-Maja HenrikssonMikaela NylanderMats NylundStefan WallinMats Löfström | – | – | 3 Anders AdlercreutzThomas BlomqvistJoakim Strand |
| Christian Democrats | – | 5 Sari EssayahAntero LaukkanenPeter ÖstmanPäivi RäsänenSari Tanus | – | – |
| Total | 106 | 42 | 0 | 51 |
| Total | 53.3% | 21.1% | 0.0% | 25.6% |
A bill to make necessary changes to social benefits and social and health care services was introduced on 3 November 2016, and approved by the Parliament in a 128–28 vote on 13 December 2016. It was signed by President Niinistö on 13 January 2017, and took effect alongside the amendments to the Marriage Act on 1 March.
13 December 2016 vote in the Parliament of Finland :
| Party | Voted for | Voted against | Abstained | Absent (Did not vote) |
| G Centre Party | 41 Olavi Ala-NissiläMikko AlataloAnne BernerPertti HakanenHannakaisa HeikkinenPetri HonkonenHannu HoskonenMarisanna JarvaKauko JuhantaloAntti KaikkonenTimo KalliAnne KalmariElsi KatainenEsko KivirantaTimo V. KorhonenHanna KosonenKatri KulmuniAntti KurvinenMikko KärnäSeppo KääriäinenJari LeppäMika LintiläMarkus LohiEeva-Maria MaijalaMarkku PakkanenAila PaloniemiUlla ParviainenMauri PekkarinenArto PirttilahtiTuomo PuumalaJuha PylväsAntti RantakangasJuha RehulaAnnika SaarikkoMikko SavolaJuha SipiläKimmo TiilikainenAri TorniainenMirja VehkaperäAnu VehviläinenEerikki Viljanen | – | – | 8 Sirkka-Liisa AnttilaLasse HautalaNiilo KeränenOlli RehnMarkku RossiMartti TaljaTapani TölliMatti Vanhanen |
| G Finns Party | 13 Ritva ElomaaTiina ElovaaraOlli ImmonenAri JalonenArja JuvonenKimmo KiveläAnne LouhelainenPirkko MattilaHanna MäntyläMika NiikkoTom PackalénVille TavioKaj Turunen | 14 Simon EloTeuvo HakkarainenReijo HongistoLaura HuhtasaariToimi KankaanniemiKari KulmalaRami LehtoJani MäkeläLea MäkipääMartti MölsäMika RaatikainenVesa-Matti SaarakkalaSami SavioTimo Soini | 4 Juho EerolaLeena MeriJussi NiinistöSampo Terho | 5 Jari LindströmPentti OinonenJari RonkainenVeera RuohoVille Vähämäki |
| G National Coalition Party | 24 Markku EestiläSanni Grahn-LaasonenHarry HarkimoTimo HeinonenAntti HäkkänenHarri JaskariKalle JokinenPauli KiuruJukka KopraSusanna KoskiEero LehtiOuti MäkeläPetteri OrpoJaana PelkonenWille RydmanSari SarkomaaSaara-Sofia SirénEero SuutariMari-Leena TalvitieLenita ToivakkaKari TolvanenSinuhe WallinheimoAnne-Mari VirolainenBen Zyskowicz | – | – | 13 Ilkka KanervaJaana Laitinen-PesolaSanna LauslahtiElina LepomäkiSari MultalaKai MykkänenSari RaassinaPaula RisikkoPertti SalolainenArto SatonenAlexander StubbJuhana VartiainenSofia Vikman |
| Social Democratic Party | 29 Eeva-Johanna ElorantaMaarit Feldt-RantaTarja FilatovJukka GustafssonMaria GuzeninaTuula HaatainenTimo HarakkaEero HeinäluomaLauri IhalainenIlkka KantolaMika KariAnneli KiljunenKrista KiuruAntti LindtmanSanna MarinRiitta MyllerMerja Mäkisalo-RopponenIlmari NurminenJohanna Ojala-NiemeläSirpa PaateroAntti RinneJoona RäsänenVille SkinnariKatja TaimelaMaria TolppanenErkki TuomiojaTytti TuppurainenPia ViitanenHarry Wallin | – | – | 6 Susanna HuovinenSuna KymäläinenNasima RazmyarKristiina SalonenSatu TaavitsainenJutta Urpilainen |
| Green League | 12 Touko AaltoOuti Alanko-KahiluotoPekka HaavistoSatu HassiHeli JärvinenEmma KariJohanna KarimäkiJyrki KasviKrista MikkonenVille NiinistöAntero VartiaOzan Yanar | – | – | 3 Hanna HalmeenpääOlli-Poika ParviainenJani Toivola |
| Left Alliance | 9 Li AnderssonPaavo ArhinmäkiKatja HänninenAnna KontulaAnnika LapintieAino-Kaisa PekonenHanna SarkkinenMatti SemiKari Uotila | – | – | 3 Silvia ModigMarkus MustajärviJari Myllykoski |
| Swedish People's Party | – | 9 Anders AdlercreutzEva BiaudetThomas BlomqvistAnna-Maja HenrikssonMats LöfströmMikaela NylanderMats NylundVeronica Rehn-KiviStefan Wallin | – | 1 Joakim Strand |
| Christian Democrats | – | 5 Sari EssayahAntero LaukkanenPeter ÖstmanPäivi RäsänenSari Tanus | – | – |
| Total | 128 | 28 | 4 | 39 |
| Total | 64.3% | 14.1% | 2.0% | 19.6% |
A citizens' initiative to repeal the gender-neutral marriage law was started on 29 March 2015. The initiative collected almost 110,000 signatures by 29 September 2015 and was presented to the Parliament on 22 June 2016. On 8 September 2016, it was sent to the Legal Affairs Committee after a plenary debate. On 15 February 2017, the committee recommended that the Parliament reject the initiative. On 17 February, the Parliament voted to accept the committee's recommendation by a 120–48 margin with 2 abstentions.
17 February 2017 vote in the Parliament of Finland :
| Party | Voted for | Voted against | Abstained | Absent (Did not vote) |
| G Centre Party | 26 Olavi Ala-NissiläMikko AlataloAnne BernerPetri HonkonenAntti KaikkonenAnne KalmariElsi KatainenTimo V. KorhonenHanna KosonenKatri KulmuniMikko KärnäSeppo KääriäinenJari LeppäMika LintiläAila PaloniemiUlla ParviainenPekka PuskaTuomo PuumalaJuha PylväsAntti RantakangasJuha RehulaMarkku RossiKimmo TiilikainenMirja VehkaperäAnu VehviläinenEerikki Viljanen | 13 Pertti HakanenLasse HautalaHannu HoskonenMarisanna JarvaTimo KalliEsko KivirantaAntti KurvinenMarkus LohiEeva-Maria MaijalaArto PirttilahtiMikko SavolaMartti TaljaTapani Tölli | 2 Markku PakkanenAri Torniainen | 8 Sirkka-Liisa AnttilaHannakaisa HeikkinenKauko JuhantaloNiilo KeränenMauri PekkarinenAnnika SaarikkoJuha SipiläMatti Vanhanen |
| G Finns Party | 3 Tiina ElovaaraArja JuvonenVille Tavio | 28 Juho EerolaSimon EloRitva ElomaaTeuvo HakkarainenReijo HongistoLaura HuhtasaariOlli ImmonenAri JalonenToimi KankaanniemiKimmo KiveläKari KulmalaJari LindströmAnne LouhelainenPirkko MattilaLeena MeriJani MäkeläLea MäkipääMartti MölsäMika NiikkoTom PackalénMika RaatikainenJari RonkainenVesa-Matti SaarakkalaSami SavioTimo SoiniSampo TerhoKaj TurunenVille Vähämäki | – | 5 Rami LehtoHanna MäntyläJussi NiinistöPentti OinonenVeera Ruoho |
| G National Coalition Party | 31 Markku EestiläHarry HarkimoTimo HeinonenAntti HäkkänenHarri JaskariKalle JokinenIlkka KanervaPauli KiuruJukka KopraJaana Laitinen-PesolaSanna LauslahtiElina LepomäkiSari MultalaKai MykkänenOuti MäkeläPetteri OrpoJaana PelkonenSari RaassinaPertti SalolainenSari SarkomaaArto SatonenSaara-Sofia SirénAlexander StubbEero SuutariMari-Leena TalvitieLenita ToivakkaKari TolvanenJuhana VartiainenSofia VikmanAnne-Mari VirolainenBen Zyskowicz | 1 Susanna Koski | – | 5 Sanni Grahn-LaasonenEero LehtiPaula RisikkoWille RydmanSinuhe Wallinheimo |
| Social Democratic Party | 30 Eeva-Johanna ElorantaMaarit Feldt-RantaTarja FilatovJukka GustafssonMaria GuzeninaTuula HaatainenTimo HarakkaEero HeinäluomaSusanna HuovinenLauri IhalainenIlkka KantolaMika KariAnneli KiljunenKrista KiuruSuna KymäläinenSanna MarinRiitta MyllerMerja Mäkisalo-RopponenIlmari NurminenJohanna Ojala-NiemeläSirpa PaateroNasima RazmyarAntti RinneJoona RäsänenVille SkinnariSatu TaavitsainenKatja TaimelaMaria TolppanenErkki TuomiojaPia Viitanen | 1 Harry Wallin | – | 4 Antti LindtmanKristiina SalonenTytti TuppurainenJutta Urpilainen |
| Green League | 13 Touko AaltoOuti Alanko-KahiluotoPekka HaavistoHanna HalmeenpääSatu HassiHeli JärvinenEmma KariJohanna KarimäkiJyrki KasviVille NiinistöOlli-Poika ParviainenAntero VartiaOzan Yanar | – | – | 2 Krista MikkonenJani Toivola |
| Left Alliance | 11 Li AnderssonPaavo ArhinmäkiKatja HänninenAnnika LapintieSilvia ModigMarkus MustajärviJari MyllykoskiAino-Kaisa PekonenHanna SarkkinenMatti SemiKari Uotila | – | – | 1 Anna Kontula |
| Swedish People's Party | 6 Anders AdlercreutzAnna-Maja HenrikssonMats LöfströmMats NylundVeronica Rehn-KiviStefan Wallin | – | – | 4 Eva BiaudetThomas BlomqvistMikaela NylanderJoakim Strand |
| Christian Democrats | – | 5 Sari EssayahAntero LaukkanenPeter ÖstmanPäivi RäsänenSari Tanus | – | – |
| Total | 120 | 48 | 2 | 29 |
| Total | 60.3% | 24.1% | 1.0% | 14.6% |
Finland was the last Nordic country to introduce same-sex marriage. Although the change has brought it into alignment with its Nordic neighbours, this represents a significant difference of approach to neighbouring Russia, which historically exercised influence in Finland's affairs through Finlandisation and is hostile to LGBTQ rights.

## Statistics
### Registered partnerships

4,215 registered partnerships were established in Finland between 2002 and 2017, with a high of 446 partnerships in 2002 and a low of 36 partnerships in 2017.

### Marriages

In the first month following the entry into force of the gender-neutral marriage law, 857 same-sex marriages took place in Finland, of which 87 were newly performed and 770 were registered partnerships converted to marriages. By August 2017, 1,578 same-sex marriages had taken place in the country, of which 456 were new marriages and 1,122 were partnerships converted to marriages. The following table shows the number of marriages and divorces performed in Finland as per data published by Statistics Finland. It does not include conversions from registered partnerships.
Number of marriages and divorces in Finland :
| Year | Same-sex marriages | Same-sex marriages | Same-sex marriages | Total marriages | Same-sex divorces | Same-sex divorces | Same-sex divorces | Total divorces |
| Year | Female | Male | Total | Total marriages | Female | Male | Total | Total divorces |
| 2017 | 373 | 181 | 554 | 26,542 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13,485 |
| 2018 | 242 | 145 | 387 | 23,799 | 23 | 6 | 29 | 13,145 |
| 2019 | 263 | 113 | 376 | 22,296 | 42 | 12 | 54 | 13,365 |
| 2020 | 272 | 123 | 395 | 22,082 | 63 | 25 | 88 | 13,478 |
| 2021 | 265 | 110 | 375 | 19,579 | 68 | 17 | 85 | 12,166 |
| 2022 | 291 | 132 | 423 | 21,942 | 80 | 26 | 106 | 11,370 |
| 2023 | 254 | 119 | 373 | 20,693 | 106 | 28 | 134 | 11,475 |

## Religious performance

Same-sex marriage remains a controversial topic in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the largest Christian denomination in Finland. Thousands of Finns resigned from the Church in November 2014 due to comments made by some church officials supporting the new marriage legislation. Many priests officiate at same-sex marriages and offer their blessings to the couples. However, the matter is contentious within the Church. In November 2020, a group of ministers opposed to same-sex marriage called on the church synod to sanction priests who officiate at such marriages. Archbishop of Turku Tapio Luoma has called on dioceses not to sanction priests who perform marriages for same-sex couples, saying that the issue "cannot be settled by sanctions" but that "any solution for the [C]hurch must be based on the fact that there can be disagreement on the matter". A 2019 survey conducted by the University of Eastern Finland showed that 57% of priests in the Evangelical Lutheran Church would marry same-sex couples if explicitly permitted by the church leadership to do so.
In September 2020, the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland ruled that diocesan chapters may sanction priests who perform same-sex marriages. The Diocese of Helsinki has taken a position not to issue warnings to priests who perform same-sex marriages. In March 2024, the Bishops' Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland recommended a compromise provision where marriage would be defined both as between "a man and a woman" and between "two people". If approved by the General Synod, the measure would allow priests to perform same-sex marriages. In November 2024, two parish churches in Vantaa voted to allow same-sex marriages.

## Public opinion

Support for same-sex marriage in Finland has grown gradually since the 2000s. The 2006 Eurobarometer poll put Finnish support for same-sex marriage at 45%, while an August 2010 survey conducted by Yle put support at 54% with 35% opposing it. In January 2013, a poll by YouGov showed that support had increased to 57%, with 32% opposed and 12% unsure. In the same survey, support for adoption by same-sex couples was 51%, with 36% opposed and 13% unsure. A March 2013 survey by Taloustutkimus found that 58% of Finns supported same-sex marriage. In March 2014, a follow-up Taloustutkimus survey put support at 65% with 27% opposing and 8% unsure.
A June 2014 survey showed that among clergy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 44% supported a gender-neutral marriage law, while 41% were opposed and 15% were neutral. 60% supported church blessings for registered partners, and 28% said the church should abandon the legislated duty to perform marriages if a gender-neutral marriage law is passed.
The 2015 Eurobarometer found that 66% of Finns thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, while 28% were opposed. A Pew Research Center poll, conducted between April and August 2017 and published in May 2018, showed that 64% of Finns supported same-sex marriage, 26% were opposed and 10% did not know or had refused to answer. When divided by religion, 84% of religiously unaffiliated people, 62% of non-practicing Christians and 30% of church-attending Christians supported same-sex marriage. Opposition was 12% among 18–34-year-olds.
The 2019 Eurobarometer found that 76% of Finns thought same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe, while 21% were opposed. The 2023 Eurobarometer showed that support had increased to 76%, while 18% were opposed. The survey also found that 82% of Finns thought that "there is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between two persons of the same sex", while 14% disagreed.