Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative party is holding off on endorsing further rights for gay couples after a supreme court ruling sparked a debate within her party.
Last month, the court strengthened gay couples’ adoption rights, raising expectations it also will rule soon that gay partnerships should get the same tax breaks given to married couples. That prompted some in Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union to argue that the party should move to grant them further rights such as equal tax treatment rather than waiting to be forced into action.
But that drew resistance from social conservatives who worry about turning off traditional supporters ahead of September elections.
CDU general secretary Hermann Groehe said party leaders agreed Monday they won’t initiate new legislation, indicating they will wait for the court.
