IRL Considers Joining Center Party in Bid to Repeal Registered Partnership Act
The Center Party's attempt to throw out the act that allows the registration of same-sex couples seems to be gathering momentum. After the Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE), IRL is now considering supporting the bid as well.
According to Eesti Päevaleht, IRL are considering joining the Center Party and EKRE in their bid to repeal the Registered Partnership Act passed by the previous parliament.
The act, which grants same-sex couples the right to register their partnership with no limitations as compared to heterosexual couples, met considerable resistance in the population as well as in some of the political parties. The Center Party submitted a bill to have it repealed on November 23 last year, and so far has been joined only by EKRE.
IRL joining the camp would give the attempt considerable weight, as a simple majority of 51 votes is all it would take to make the repeal a fact. Center, IRL and EKRE would line up a total of 48 votes, while the governing Reform Party and its coalition could only get to 45 – and that is assuming that all their MPs stay in line.
IRL parliamentary party leader Priit Sibul said he didn't know how many of his party's MPs were planning to vote in favor of the repeal, stressing that some likely won't, seeing as the act has entered into force already.
While EKRE's Martin Helme assumes that IRL will vote in favor of the repeal, Valdo Randpere of the Reform Party pointed to the fact that IRL would have to cooperate with Savisaar to do so. "I would like to see how IRL goes under one umbrella with the Center Party," Randpere said.
The Center Party expects IRL, the Free Party and EKRE to reply to its proposal by January 15.
Editor: D. Cavegn
Source: BNS