The Czech Republic has recognized registered partnerships for same-sex couples since 1 July 2006. Registered partnerships grant several of the rights of marriage, including inheritance, the right to declare a same-sex partner as next of kin, hospital visitation rights, jail and prison visitation rights, spousal privilege and alimony rights. The registered partnership law was passed in March 2006 and went into effect on 1 July 2006. The Czech Republic also recognizes unregistered cohabitation status for "persons living in a common household", granting inheritance and succession rights in housing.Prague
A same-sex marriage bill passed its first reading in the Chamber of Deputies in June 2023, but was rejected at third reading in February 2024 in favor of a bill expanding the rights of registered partnerships. This bill was approved by the Senate in April 2024 and was later signed by President Petr Pavel. The law, which grants registered partners the same rights, obligations and responsibilities as married opposite-sex couples, apart from the title of marriage and joint adoption—though stepchild adoption is permitted—went into force on 1 January 2025. Polling suggests that a large majority of Czechs support the legal recognition of same-sex marriage.
Registered partnerships Passage of legislation in 2006 There had been several attempts to allow same-sex registered partnerships in the Czech Republic. In 1998, a partnership bill reached the Chamber of Deputies, but was defeated by two votes. In 1999, the chamber voted against another bill. In February 2001, the Zeman Cabinet presented a third bill, which was rejected by Parliament in October 2001. On 11 February 2005, another bill was defeated by one vote. It was backed by 82 out of the 165 deputies present, most voting in favour being Social Democrats, Communists, Freedom Union members and some deputies from the opposition Civic Democratic Party (ODS). In April 2005, a partnership bill passed its first reading in the Chamber with 82 votes for and 9 against. On 16 December 2005, it passed its third reading with 86 votes for, 54 against, and 7 abstentions. The legislation established registered partnerships (, ) for same-sex couples, providing several of the rights of marriage, including inheritance, the right to declare a same-sex partner as next of kin, hospital visitation rights, jail and prison visitation rights, spousal privilege and alimony rights, but not allowing joint adoption rights, widow's pension or joint property rights.
+16 December 2005 vote in the Chamber of Deputies Party Voted for Voted against Abstained Absent (Did not vote) Czech Social Democratic Party – Civic Democratic Party Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia KDU-ČSL – – Freedom Union – Democratic Union – Independent – – – Total 54 7 53
The legislation was passed by the Senate on 26 January 2006 in a 65–14 vote. On 16 February 2006, President Václav Klaus vetoed the bill. In response, Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek said that he would seek a parliamentary majority (101 votes) in the lower chamber to override the veto, and did so successfully on 15 March 2006 with the exact number of votes needed.
+15 March 2006 vote in the Chamber of Deputies Party Voted for Voted against Abstained Absent (Did not vote) Czech Social Democratic Party Civic Democratic Party Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia KDU-ČSL – – Freedom Union – Democratic Union – – Independent – – – Total 57 19 23
In September 2014, a group of deputies introduced a bill to permit a person to adopt the stepchildren of their registered partner (i.e. stepchild adoption). Sněmovní tisk 320 Novela z. o registrovaném partnerství In October 2014, the Sobotka Cabinet decided not to take an official stance on the bill. Vláda se neshodla na novele o adopci registrovanými partnery Instead, on 24 October 2016, it approved its own draft bill on the issue, and introduced it to Parliament on 8 November. Vláda schválila novelu zákona o NKÚ a novelu zákona o registrovaném partnerství Vláda schválila novelu zákona o registrovaném partnerství v otázce osvojení dítěteGovernment approves bill on adoption of biological children in same-sex couples Vláda odsouhlasila osvojování dětí pro homosexuální páry. Má jim zjednodušit každodenní život Sněmovní tisk 957 Novela z. o registrovaném partnerství The bills were not brought to a vote before the 2017 parliamentary election.
There were a number of differences between registered partnerships and marriages. Registered partners did not have the same rights to shared property as married couples, did not receive the same tax benefits, and did not have the right to a widow or widower's pension or adoption rights. These rights (except for joint adoption) were extended to registered partners in 2025. Another major distinction was that registered partnerships could only be performed in the 14 regional capitals, whereas marriages can be performed in over 1,200 registry offices throughout the country. This was noted in a July 2016 report by the ombudsman office, which also stated that a dying person in a hospital could not enter into a partnership because of these restrictions. A law which took effect on 1 January 2024 changed this requirement, allowing registered partnerships to be concluded at all registry offices in the country.
Expansion of rights in 2025 In 2022, a group of lawmakers introduced a same-sex marriage bill to the Chamber of Deputies. In November 2023, the Chamber's Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee failed to reach an agreement on whether to approve the bill as introduced or amended versions which would not legalize same-sex marriage but instead provide partnerships equal to marriage in all but name. On 28 February, the Chamber passed an amendment expanding the rights of registered partnerships (including the right to stepchild adoption) by a 118 to 33 vote without voting on the initial version of the same-sex marriage bill. The amended draft law was approved in its entirety by the Chamber by a vote of 123 to 36 that same day. It was approved by the Senate on 17 April 2024 despite attempts by some lawmakers to amend the bill to permit same-sex marriages. The legislation would expand the right of registered partners to shared property, full tax benefits, the right to a widow or widower's pension, and stepchild adoption. It was signed by President Petr Pavel on 29 April, and went into force on 1 January 2025.
+28 February 2024 vote in the Chamber of Deputies Party Voted for Voted against Abstained Absent (Did not vote) ANO 2011 – Civic Democratic Party Mayors and Independents KDU-ČSL Freedom and Direct Democracy – – TOP 09 – – – Czech Pirate Party – – – Independent – – – Total 33 20 29
Statistics
By June 2009, 780 registered partnerships had been conducted in the Czech Republic. By the end of 2010, that number had increased to 1,110, of which 66 had been dissolved. A large majority of these partnerships involved two Czech citizens, though there were also several couples with at least one partner from the United States, Slovakia or the United Kingdom. Most partnerships were performed in Prague followed by Central Bohemia and South Moravia, while Zlín and Vysočina registered the fewest partnerships.
The number of registered partnerships differs between data collected from parish registers and data from the Ministry of the Interior. Data collected from parish registers shows that 4,283 partnerships were performed between 2006 and 2021: 235 in 2006, 258 in 2007, 233 in 2008, 209 in 2009, 205 in 2010, 188 in 2011, 209 in 2012, 212 in 2013, 242 in 2014, 254 on 2015, 363 in 2016, 334 in 2017, 342 in 2018, 360 in 2019, 324 in 2020, and 315 in 2021. 6.4% of these partnerships were performed in Czech embassies or consulates abroad. By the end of 2019, about a quarter of these partnerships had been dissolved, lower than the divorce rate of opposite-sex partners at around 50%. Male couples account for the majority of partnerships.
Same-sex marriage
Failed attempts in 2017–2021 The Green Party and the Pirate Party expressed support for same-sex marriage in their 2017 electoral programs. Following the adoption of a same-sex marriage law by the German Bundestag in June 2017, Zbyněk Stanjura, a deputy from the Civic Democratic Party, suggested that his party could agree to a free vote in Parliament. Before the October 2017 election, activists started a campaign called "We Are Fair" (, ) to legalise same-sex marriage in the Czech Republic. The campaign found that a majority of deputies from ANO 2011, the Pirate Party, the Social Democratic Party, TOP 09, and the Mayors and Independents (STAN) supported same-sex marriage, while a minority of ODS, Communist and KDU-ČSL MPs and no deputy from the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party did so. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš expressed support for the legalisation of same-sex marriage.
On 12 June 2018, a bill to legalise same-sex marriage, sponsored by 46 deputies, was introduced to the Chamber of Deputies. Three days later, a group of 37 deputies proposed a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the "union of a man and a woman" in the Constitution of the Czech Republic, which would have required a two-thirds majority in the Chamber. On 22 June 2018, the Babiš Cabinet announced its support for the same-sex marriage bill. The "We Are Fair" campaign presented 70,350 signatures in support of same-sex marriage to the Chamber of Deputies in late June. The first reading of the same-sex marriage bill was scheduled for 31 October, but was delayed to 14 November. As debate on both bills began, individual MPs spoke on both sides of the issue rather than split on party lines, indicative of a conscience vote. A vote was expected in January 2019, but was postponed to 26 March 2019, but then postponed again. On 10 January 2019, President Miloš Zeman said he might veto the same-sex marriage bill if it were passed by Parliament. Such a veto would force a second vote on the law, with the support of 101 deputies (50% + 1) required to override the presidential veto. On 29 April 2021, a proposal to reject the bill at first reading failed, receiving 41 votes from the 93 deputies present, and the bill therefore progressed to the committee stage. However, it did not advance further before the October 2021 election.
Failed attempts in 2022–2024 In June 2022, a cross-party same-sex marriage bill was introduced to the Chamber of Deputies. The bill would grant same-sex couples the same legal rights and benefits as opposite-sex married spouses, including joint property rights, adoption rights, the right to inherit their partner's pension and access to alternative family care. Several candidates in the 2023 presidential election supported same-sex marriage and adoption rights, including the winner, Petr Pavel, and runner-up Andrej Babiš.