A survey released Thursday found that a
large majority of Germans support broadening the nation's marriage
laws to include gay and lesbian couples.
The
YouGov poll found that 68 percent of German voters support
marriage equality, a 3 percentage point increase from last year's
poll.
Germany has since 2001 recognized the
unions of gay couples with civil partnerships.
Chancellor Angela Merkel last year
reiterated her opposition to allowing gay couples to marry, saying in
an interview that while she supports civil partnerships, marriage “is
the coexistence between a man and a woman”
(Related: Angela
Merkel remains opposed to gay marriage.)
Thursday's survey found Merkel, the
leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), to be out of step
with her voter base. Sixty-one percent of Christian Democrats told
pollsters they support marriage equality.