Amsterdam - With a lopsided vote in Parliament and a burst of cheers from the packed gallery, the Netherlands has become the first country to allow same-sex couples to marry on the same terms as men and women.
The 109-33 vote marked the latest instance of the Dutch breaking barriers in social policy, joining liberal drug laws, legal prostitution and sanctioned euthanasia. It seemed certain to add to the Netherlands' reputation for laws that many hail as signs of tolerance and others decry as moral decay. The measure is to become law in January.