The Czech Republic was set to debate and vote on the issue of same-sex marriage today — until they ran out of time during the Parliament session.

Marriage equality first began gaining traction in the country in June. Politicians introduced a draft law to legalize same-sex marriage and the government agreed to hear it.

The latest update was for MPs to debate and vote on the matter today, making them the first post-Communist country to legalize same-sex marriage. It also could have influenced neighboring countries to follow suit.

Unfortunately, Michaela Pixová of the LGBT+ initiative in the country, Jsme Fér (We Are Fair), informed GSN, that today’s Parliament session did not address the matter of same-sex marriage.

According to Pixová, the MPs discussed another matter for nearly the entirety of the session. The matter of same-sex marriage was the third item on the schedule.

What is the country trying to do exactly?

Initially, the plan was for MPs to discuss the Civil Code amendment, and consequently opening marriage to same-sex couples.

46 deputies, headed by MP Radka Maxová, led the proposal.

According to surveys, a majority of Czech people support marriage equality. An even larger majority (97%) of Czech gay and lesbian individuals want the opportunity to get married.

Pixová further told GSN their initiative is now trying to ‘negotiate a new fixed item in the continuation of the discussion of the Chamber of Deputies’. What this essentially means is getting the matter of same-sex marriage on the schedule again.

Pixová said the matter should be available for a vote again on 13/14 November or sometime in December.

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