Marriage Equality Comes To Finland

The Finnish Parliament has just narrowly passed a bill to legalize gay marriage by 105 votes to 92. Finland is the last of the Nordic countries to legalize same-sex marriage, although gay couples have been able to enter registered partnerships since 2002.
Ahead of the vote, thousands of protesters both for and against the proposed gender-neutral marriage law gathered outside the Parliament building in Helsinki to make their feelings known. Demonstrators in favor of the bill greatly outnumbered those against it. A carnival atmosphere prevailed.
When the result was announced, YLE reports that many of those outside hugged and cried with joy and joined together in a cry of 'thank you, thank you, thank you!' The vote was previously expected to be very close, so the 105-92 victory was wider than anticipated. Only two of Finland's 200 MPs were absent from the vote.
Finland’s Parliamentary websites temporarily crashed after the results of the vote were announced.