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A gay member of Germany's Christian Democratic Union, Stefan Kaufmann, says he is confident the country's parliamentary vote to legalise same-sex marriage will pass.
- German Chancellor has signalled a change in her opposition to same-sex marriage
- Gay MP expects up to one third of conservative party members to support change
- Parties that may government with Ms Merkel's party want same-sex marriage legalised
If tomorrow's vote is successful, Germany will join nearly half of OECD countries that have already allowed same-sex marriage.
In recent days, German Chancellor Angela Merkel signalled a change in her opposition to same-sex marriage, saying members of her conservative party, including Mr Kaufmann, were free to vote with their conscience on the issue.
Mr Kaufmann told Lateline the party and Ms Merkel have come a long way in the past decade.
He said he thinks a recent meeting with a lesbian couple played a part in changing Ms Merkel's mind on the issue.
"I think it was very crucial for her to think about the situation of gay people in Germany and it was maybe the point to change her mind," he said.
Mr Kaufmann came out as gay almost 20 years ago and he said in the past he faced opposition from within the Christian Democrats, but he now expected up to one third of conservative party members to support tomorrow's vote.
"In my party in the last 10 years we have a big change and I talked to a lot of people in the last 10 years and there was a shift, more liberal positions," he said.
Mr Kaufmann, a practising Catholic, said it was important to him that the Church recognised his relationship.
"It was very important for us to have the praise of God for this relationship," he said.
"That was important for us and it's also the reason for why I'm a member of the Christian Democratic Union."
Mr Kaufmann and his partner had what he called a "wedding-lite" several years ago — a Church service celebrating their union but without the sacrament of marriage.
Some Australian politicians have argued that businesses like florists and bakers should be allowed to refuse to perform services for same-sex marriages if legislation was to pass here.
But Mr Kaufmann described that as discrimination.
"I couldn't understand such a point of view but if there are such people you have to accept it but I think from a legal point you should not accept it," he said.
Germany's vote comes three months out from federal elections and the issue has become a major topic.
Ms Merkel's current coalition partners, the Social Democrats, as well as two other parties that may be part of her government after the election, have made support for her party contingent on backing same-sex marriage.
Topics: gays-and-lesbians, marriage, world-politics, germany
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