“Today was an important milestone in dismantling discrimination and the chancellor is pleased about that… but same-sex marriages are not a goal of this government.”
Angela Merkel, Credit – Christliches Medienmagazin pro / Flickr
–German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesperson, Steffen Seibert, speaking with Reuters about Ireland’s referendum on same-sex marriage.
In the wake of Ireland’s historic referendum, in which almost two-thirds of voters supported granting marriage equality to gay and lesbian citizens, there have been calls around Europe for similarly conservative nations to follow in Ireland’s footsteps. However, Merkel, whose Christian Democratic Union party governs in coalition with another party, continues to oppose marriage equality in Germany.
Katrin Göring-Eckardt, leader of opposition Green party, told Germany’s Die Welt newspaper that: “The Merkel faction cannot just sit out the debate on marriage for all. I am confident that the Irish vote will accelerate equality in Germany.”
Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
“Every country makes its own laws – some countries go one route while others go another,” Seibert stated. “In Germany we’ll take a path that suits Germany.”
Same-sex couples in Germany have had access to registered partnerships since 2001, which provide most of the benefits of marriage, including adoption rights.
Timo Cavelius, a Judo Grand Slam medalist who became the first openly gay man to compete in judo at the Olympics during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, was hospitalized and underwent surgery after being assaulted by his opponent while celebrating his victory during a team match in Leipzig, Germany.
The 29-year-old German national faced Akaki Japaridze, a guest judoka competing for JC Leipzig in the under-198-pound category, in two matches held within an hour of each other on September 5.
Japaridze, a 24-year-old Georgian national, won the first match, but Cavelius prevailed in the second with an ippon, the equivalent of a knockout in judo. After being declared the victor, Cavelius celebrated with a fist pump, which appeared to anger Japaridze, who attacked Cavelius, striking him in the face and continuing to punch him after he fell to the ground.
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