Recognition of same-sex unions in North Macedonia

North Macedonia is a country in Europe. Right now, it does not allow same-sex marriages or civil unions. This means that two people of the same sex cannot legally get married or join in a special official partnership called a civil union.

In 2015, there was an idea to change the rules so that same-sex marriages would not be allowed. This idea was called a constitutional amendment. But, it did not succeed. So, the rules about same-sex unions stayed the same.

Many countries around the world have different ideas about whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry or join in civil unions. North Macedonia's decision shows one way that countries can think about this important topic.

Civil unions

North Macedonia does not recognize civil unions. These unions would give same-sex couples some of the same rights and responsibilities as married couples.

As a member of the Council of Europe, North Macedonia must follow decisions made by the European Court of Human Rights. In January 2023, this court decided that countries in the Council of Europe must have laws that recognize unions for same-sex couples.

Same-sex marriage

Background

In North Macedonia, there are no laws that allow same-sex couples to marry or have their relationships recognized by the government. The laws about marriage clearly state that marriage is only for a man and a woman.

Attempts to pass constitutional ban

The rules of North Macedonia do not say that same-sex marriage is not allowed. In 2013, some leaders tried to change the rules to say that only a man and a woman can marry, but they did not get enough votes to make this change. They tried again in 2014 and 2015, but each time they failed to get the votes needed. Because of this, the rules about marriage did not change, and same-sex marriage is still not recognized in North Macedonia.

Public opinion

In 2015, a survey showed that only a small number of people in North Macedonia thought marriages between people of the same sex were okay, while most people did not agree. By 2022, more people had started to accept these marriages, but still, most people did not agree.

When it came to other rights, like giving survivor benefits to a partner who passed away, almost half of the people supported this idea.