Swiss voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of same-sex marriage. An exit poll by public broadcaster SRF shows that the yes camp has won a resounding victory with 64 percent of the votes.
In Switzerland gays and lesbians can already enter into a registered partnership, but this does not give them the same rights as straight couples. Last December, the parliament passed a law that also opens marriage to people of the same sex.
Opponents then collected the 50,000 signatures needed to submit a topic to the entire population in a referendum. In the campaign, they mainly ran against the part of the law that makes it possible for people of the same sex to adopt children. They also hated the fact that lesbians are allowed access to sperm donors. They believe that children should be raised by a father and a mother.
It is not yet clear when the first same-sex couples can marry in Switzerland. This may take months as the law has yet to be officially introduced.
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