BERLIN, Sept 17 (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, the country's first openly gay minister, and his partner formalised their union at a civil ceremony in his hometown of Bonn, Westerwelle's Free Democrat party said on Friday.
Westerwelle, 48, and businessman Michael Mronz, 43, entered the registered partnership at a civil ceremony led by Bonn mayor Juergen Nimptsch, Bild newspaper reported. A spokesman for the FDP confirmed the report.
Germany does not permit same-sex couples to marry, but gives those that register their partnerships the same rights and responsibilities as married heterosexual couples.
Westerwelle, the chairman of the liberal Free Democrats, is also Vice Chancellor in Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right government.
About 20 family members and friends attended the ceremony, Bild newspaper said. Westerwelle and Mronz, a leading sport event manager in Germany, have been together since 2003.
Mronz accompanied Westerwelle on some of the foreign minister's international trips earlier this year, paying his own way.
But he stopped travelling as frequently after opposition leaders raised questions about a possible conflict of interest, with some top Social Democrats asking whether Mronz was using the trips to 'line up business deals.'
Germany's laws on same-sex unions were liberalised by the previous centre-left government of Social Democrats and Greens. The Greens have proposed allowing same-sex couples to marry.
(Reporting by Erik Kirschbaum; editing by Noah Barkin) Keywords: GERMANY WESTERWELLE/ (Reuters messaging: erik.kirschbaum.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Westerwelle, 48, and businessman Michael Mronz, 43, entered the registered partnership at a civil ceremony led by Bonn mayor Juergen Nimptsch, Bild newspaper reported. A spokesman for the FDP confirmed the report.
Germany does not permit same-sex couples to marry, but gives those that register their partnerships the same rights and responsibilities as married heterosexual couples.
Westerwelle, the chairman of the liberal Free Democrats, is also Vice Chancellor in Chancellor Angela Merkel's centre-right government.
About 20 family members and friends attended the ceremony, Bild newspaper said. Westerwelle and Mronz, a leading sport event manager in Germany, have been together since 2003.
Mronz accompanied Westerwelle on some of the foreign minister's international trips earlier this year, paying his own way.
But he stopped travelling as frequently after opposition leaders raised questions about a possible conflict of interest, with some top Social Democrats asking whether Mronz was using the trips to 'line up business deals.'
Germany's laws on same-sex unions were liberalised by the previous centre-left government of Social Democrats and Greens. The Greens have proposed allowing same-sex couples to marry.
(Reporting by Erik Kirschbaum; editing by Noah Barkin) Keywords: GERMANY WESTERWELLE/ (Reuters messaging: erik.kirschbaum.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
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