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Austria Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

The country's top court ruled that the existing marriage laws are discriminatory.

Austria's Constitutional Court announced this week that same-sex marriage will be legal starting in 2019.

The country has allowed same-sex couples to enter into legal partnerships since 2010, but the court has now ruled that the existing law is discriminatory and needs to be updated.

Officials looked into the current law following a complaint from two women who were upset over being denied a formal marriage by authorities in Vienna.

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The ruling brings Austria up to speed with other European nations including Germany, Spain, France and the UK, all of which have legalized same-sex marriage in the past several years.

The restrictions on same-sex marriage are currently set to be lifted on the final day of 2018, unless the government decides to do it earlier, and the new law will go into effect on January 1, 2019.

Civil partnerships will still remain an option for same-sex couples, but will now be made available to heterosexual couples as well, in an attempt to provide equality across the board.

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