By
our dpa-correspondent and Europe Online
Berlin (dpa) – The lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, has already overwhelmingly approved the move, despite opposition from the conservative wing of Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian-based allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU).
In particular, the CSU had attempted to delay granting same-sex couples equal rights because of fears that it might alienate conservative sections of the Bavarian electorate ahead of elections in the state in September.
Merkel‘s CDU has insisted that despite the government being forced to introduce the legislation, it has no plans to follow other European states such as Britain and France in recognizing same-sex marriage.
The opposition Social Democrats (SDP), the Greens and the hard-left Linke party have helped to spearhead moves for changes on tax rights.
They have also attempted to turn the question into a campaign issue ahead of national elections, which are to be held a week after the poll in Bavaria.
Married couples in Germany are currently able to jointly declare their taxable incomes, which can help to cut their total tax burden, especially when one partner is on a higher pay scale.
Friday‘s tax reform amends laws dating back to August 2001, the year in which civil partnerships were introduced in Germany.
There are now 34,000 same-sex partnerships in Germany.
Back dating the legislation is likely to cost the government an estimated 150 million euros (193 million dollars).
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