Montenegro has just voted to legalise same-sex civil partnerships, with over half of the country’s lawmakers voting in favour.
The director in the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, Blanka Radosevic Marovic, confirmed to Reuters that there had been 42 votes in favour of the law, with five against.
It is the first European country outside of Western Europe and the European Union to legally recognise same-sex couples. The law is expected to come into force next year, with details yet to be finalised and government clerks needing training.
The passed law will give same-sex couples the same legal rights as mixed-sex couples, although same-sex couples will not have the right to adopt.