Legal protection

Legal protection

Basic law © Jens Kalaene

Legal protection

"Verlebenspartnert" with child © dpa

Catholic politicians have spoken out in favor of placing permanent civil partnerships under the special protection of the state order. For this the article 6 of the Basic Law should be supplemented accordingly.

So it says in an "interjection" dated Monday, which is available to the Catholic News Agency (KNA).

At the same time, however, the lay Catholics emphasize that it is "neither necessary nor appropriate" to open the legal institution of marriage to same-sex partnerships. A change in the constitution could thus clarify "equivalence and difference". "In this way, legal peace could be preserved in an important socio-political ie and at the same time appropriate respect could be paid to a different way of life," it continues.

ZdK President Sternberg among the signatories

The signatories of the "circle of friends engaged in the Catholic Church and in politics" include Union politicians and committed lay Catholics: Bundestag President Norbert Lammert, former state premiers Bernhard Vogel and Dieter Althaus, former state secretary in the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs Hermann Kues (all CDU), the new president of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), Thomas Sternberg, his predecessor Alois Gluck (CSU) and former ZdK secretary general Friedrich Kronenberg.

Intrinsic profile of marriage not to be "called into question"

"For us, marriage is a permanent partnership of a man and a woman and the basis for a family from which children can be born. This connection justifies the priority of marriage and family," they continue. There is no reason to "question or even relativize" this intrinsic profile of marriage. Marriage and same-sex partnerships "are not the same and are not made the same even by striking demands of a 'marriage for all,'" politicians emphasize.

At the same time, however, the signatories emphasize that "same-sex partners who take on binding, lasting responsibility for each other, who stand up for each other, who promise to be faithful to each other, are also entitled to special protection from the state. They deserve equally unreserved recognition".

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