Tempers have flared already before the debate, with Oras Tynkkynen (Greens) highlighting the old peculiarities of the Marriage Act on Wednesday.

The Parliament will today engage in a preliminary debate on the citizens' initiative for equal marriage rights, which has accumulated nearly 167,000 statements of support. The proposal demands that Finland's Marriage Act be amended to grant same-sex couples the right to marry and to adopt a child.

“What advocates of traditional marriage considered the only right alternative in the early 1900s, contemporary advocates of traditional marriage probably consider wrong – if not outrageous,” Tynkkynen argues in his blog.

“For example, people with mental health problems, epileptics and deaf-mutes have not been allowed to marry.”

Opponents of the proposal have similarly launched a citizens' initiative that had on Wednesday received over 42,000 statements of support.

“One of the most important reason for defending the traditional concept of marriage is to safeguard children's rights. Children must have the right to a mother and father also in the future,” Pentti Oinonen (PS) views.

Tynkkynen, in turn, insists that now is the right time to update the legislation. “By approving an equal marriage act we can take yet another step on a path toward Finland where two competent adults can decide to get married.”

Oinonen is concerned that Finland may be gradually heading into a vacuum of values. “You don't have to be ashamed to support the traditional concept of marriage,” he rallies.

At least the Christian Democratic Party opposes gender-neutral marriage laws and has expressed its hope that also other ruling parties vote against the initiative.

The vote is expected to be close. Timo Soini, the chair of the Finns Party, has reminded that the manifesto of the opposition party in 2011 defines marriage as an institution between a man and woman. Regardless, at least a handful of members of the Finns Party parliamentary group have voiced their support for the initiative.

After today's preliminary debate, the citizens' initiative will be turned over to the Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee, while the Parliament will discuss the initiative in a plenary session later this spring.

Olli Pohjanpalo – HS

Aleksi Teivainen – HT

© HELSINGIN SANOMAT

Photo: Adriana Dobrin