From Today, Same-Sex Couples in Malta Can Officially Tie The Knot
All provisions of the amended Marriage Law are expected to come into force.
After Parliament’s approval of the introduction of gay marriage through the new Marriage Equality Act last July, same-sex couples can officially get married as of today, when all provisions of the amended laws are expected to come into force.
Equality Minister Helena Dalli signed off the legal notice published in the Government Gazette last week, confirming Malta’s Marriage law as gender neutral while also introducing marriage to same-sex couples. President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca signed the new law on 1st August.
A number of changes were made to the Marriage Act as well as several other laws, including the Criminal Code and the Civil Unions Act, in order for references to husband, wife, mother and father to become gender neutral. Instead, mother and father have been replaced with ‘parent’ and husband and wife have been replaced with ‘spouse’.
Back when the Bill was introduced by Minister Dalli, she stated that the aim of the Bill is to “modernise the institution of marriage”, so that all consenting adult couples would have equal rights to enter into marriage.