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Why did Angela Merkel allow a Bundestag vote on same-sex marriage in 2017?
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Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel, the first woman to serve as chancellor of Germany, 2012.
In June 2017, Angela Merkel surprised many by allowing an open vote in the Bundestag on the legalization of same-sex marriage.1
Although Merkel personally voted against the bill, her decision to permit the vote removed a significant political obstacle. By allowing the measure to proceed, she cleared a potential roadblock for future coalition negotiations, as other political parties had made marriage equality a precondition for forming a government following the September 2017 general election.1