“The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, voted against the move, despite having paved the way for the law’s passage by inviting MPs to vote according to their conscience.” After a long wait followed by a swift vote, the German parliament legalized same-sex marriage.

+ “Only this week did she announce she had changed her mind, reportedly after having dinner with a lesbian couple who had fostered eight children.” The Economist charts the change in Germany and the status of gay marriage across the world.

+ Buzzfeed: A look back at three decades of struggle for German marriage equality.