Same-sex marriage in Denmark

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Denmark since June 15, 2012. A bill to allow same-sex marriages was introduced by the Thorning-Schmidt I Cabinet and approved by the Folketing, Denmark's parliament, on June 7, 2012. It became law after receiving royal assent from Queen Margrethe II on June 12 and took effect three days later. Many people in Denmark support allowing same-sex couples to marry.

Denmark was an early leader in this area. It was the fourth Nordic country, after Norway, Sweden, and Iceland, and the eleventh country in the world to allow same-sex marriage. Before allowing same-sex marriage, Denmark was the first country to create registered partnerships in 1989. These partnerships gave same-sex couples nearly all the same rights as married couples.

Same-sex marriage is also allowed in the other two parts of the Danish Realm: Greenland and the Faroe Islands. In Greenland, the local parliament approved same-sex marriage in May 2015, and it became law in April 2016. In the Faroe Islands, the local parliament approved it in April 2016, and it became law in July 2017.

Registered partnerships

Registered partnerships (Danish: registreret partnerskab) began in Denmark on 1 October 1989. This was the first law of its kind in the world. These partnerships gave same-sex couples almost all the same rights as married couples.

In 2010, the law changed to let registered partners adopt children together. By 15 June 2012, Denmark changed its marriage laws to let any two people marry, and registered partnerships were replaced. But existing partnerships stayed valid.

Same-sex marriage

Denmark

In 2006, some people in the Danish Parliament wanted to change the law so that people of the same gender could get married. They talked about it, but not everyone agreed. In 2010, a vote on this idea did not pass.

In 2011, the new government decided to work on making same-sex marriage possible by spring 2012. In January 2012, they shared plans to change the law so two people of the same gender could marry, either at a government office or in the Church of Denmark. Ministers could choose not to perform these marriages, but had to make sure others could do it in their churches.

In June 2012, the Parliament voted and approved the new law. Queen Margrethe II gave her approval, and the law started on June 15, 2012. The first same-sex marriage happened that day in Copenhagen.

In Danish, same-sex marriage is called ægteskab mellem personer af samme køn or homovielse.

Greenland

Main article: Same-sex marriage in Greenland

Greenland started allowing same-sex couples to marry in 2016. Before that, same-sex couples could have registered partnerships, but not full marriage rights. The new law was approved by Greenland’s leaders and then by Denmark. It started on April 1, 2016.

Faroe Islands

Main article: Same-sex marriage in the Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands allowed same-sex marriage to start in 2017. Before this, they did not recognize same-sex partnerships at all. In 2013, plans were made to change the law, but they took a few years. The new law was finally approved in 2017 and started on July 1 of that year. The first same-sex wedding in the Faroe Islands happened on September 6, 2017.

Russian couple Pavel Stotsko and Evgenii Voitsekhovskii marrying at Copenhagen City Hall, January 2018

Impact

A study from 2019 showed that after same-sex marriage became legal, fewer people in same-sex relationships experienced difficult times. The study looked at Sweden and Denmark and found good results.

Statistics

In 2021, most same-sex marriages in Denmark happened at government offices, but some took place in the Church of Denmark. One marriage happened at a Danish embassy or consulate outside of Denmark.

Religious performance

Same-sex marriages can happen in the Church of Denmark and the Church of Greenland, but not in the Church of the Faroe Islands. The Catholic Church does not allow same-sex marriages, but in 2023, it said that people in same-sex relationships could receive blessings. The Bishop of Copenhagen said everyone should feel welcome in the Church, even if they cannot have all the usual marriage ceremonies.

Number of marriages performed in Denmark
Year	Same-sex marriages			Opposite-sex marriages	Total marriages	% same-sex
Year	Male	Female	Total	Opposite-sex marriages	Total marriages	% same-sex
2012	104	164	268	28,235	28,503	0.94%
2013	129	234	363	27,140	27,503	1.32%
2014	155	209	364	27,967	28,331	1.28%
2015	163	208	371	28,482	28,853	1.29%
2016	160	218	378	30,389	30,767	1.23%
2017	190	246	436	31,341	31,777	1.37%
2018	187	293	480	32,045	32,525	1.48%
2019	168	237	405	30,230	30,635	1.32%
2020	160	273	433	28,106	28,539	1.51%
2021	172	258	430	27,215	27,645	1.56%
2022	214	296	510	32,544	33,054	1.54%
2023	220	294	514	31,068	31,582	1.63%
2024	235	359	594	32,267	32,861	1.81%
2025	249	344	593	32,031	32,624	1.82%

Public opinion

Amnesty International campaigning for same-sex marriage at Copenhagen Pride, 2009

A survey in late 2012 and early 2013 found that most people in Denmark, called Danes, supported allowing people of the same sex to marry. About 79% agreed, while only 16% did not.

Another survey in 2013 in the Faroe Islands, a part of Denmark, showed that about 68% of people there also supported marriage for same-sex couples. Over time, support grew. By 2023, about 93% of Danes thought marriage should be allowed for same-sex couples, showing strong and growing support across the country.