The Czech lower house of parliament voted today to override a presidential veto and approve a law allowing same-sex partnerships.
The law allowing same-sex couples to officially register, and terminate, their relationships was originally approved by the lower house.
But in mid-February right-wing President Vaclav Klaus vetoed the bill saying it increased state regulation and copied a set-up justifiable only for traditional families.
An absolute majority of 101 in the 200-seat lower house was needed to override the veto and approve the law. The government got exactly that, with 101 of the 177 deputies present approving the law.
The law had strong backing from Social Democrat Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek, but junior government coalition party the Christian Democrats opposed the measure.
The rightist opposition Civic Democrats voted against it saying Paroubek pushed the law through as an election gimmick.
Czechs head to the polls in a general election on June 2-3.
The law also allows access to information on the health of a gay partner. It allows same-sex couples to raise children, but it does not permit adoptions.
Czechs are mostly non-religious and surveys show most support same-sex couples having the option of registering their partnerships.