After a long debate which included a proposal for a referendum that was later withdrawn, the Faroese Legislature approved their same-sex marriage and adoption bill during its second reading on a vote of 19-14. According to the parliamentary calendar, the final reading is scheduled for Friday.

The bill seeks to adopt Denmark’s matrimonial and adoption laws and will require future ratification from the Danish Parliament if it is approved in the Faroe Islands.

Denmark’s approval, though mostly a formality as seen with the other Danish constituent territory, Greenland, is required because the 2012 Danish same-sex marriage bill included a clause that states that the territories will not be affected by the new Danish law. Denmark must approve an amendment to repeal the clause and allow the Faroese bill to go into effect if it passes this week and gets sent to Copenhagen.

For more information on the LGBT rights situation in Faroe Islands, please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_the_Faroe_Islands