Putin rules out legalizing gay marriage in Russia

Vladimir Putin agreed to include in the Russian Constitution the definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

MOSCOW Russia (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said Russia will not legalize same-sex marriage while he is in charge of the Kremlin.

He also made it clear he will not allow the traditional notion of mother and father to be changed by what he called “father number 1” and “father number 2”.

“As far as ‘father number 1’ and ‘father number 2’ are concerned, I have already spoken publicly about this and I will repeat it again: as long as I am president, this will not happen. It will be mom and dad.” Putin said.

In the two decades he has been in power, Putin has closely aligned himself with the Orthodox Church and has tried to move Russia away from Western liberal values, including attitudes towards homosexuality and gender fluency.

Putin made these statements during a meeting with a state commission to discuss changes to the Russian Constitution.

The commission was established last month after Putin announced major changes to Russia’s political system, widely seen as designed to help him extend his grip on power after he leaves office in 2024.

Other ideas have since been put forward, and Putin was asked to comment on a proposal to add a line in the constitution defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. “We just have to think of the phrases and where to do it,” he replied.

The Yucatan Times
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