Same-sex registered partnerships gain popularity

More registered partnerships were celebrated last year between gay couples than between lesbian couples. Keystone

While fewer people got married last year in Switzerland, the number of same-sex couples forming registered partnerships has risen, according to the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office.

Nearly 800 couples decided to take this step in 2017, which represents an overall rise in registered partnerships of 6.7% compared with the previous year.

+ Find out more about same-sex civil unions in Switzerland

By contrast, the number of marriages fell by 4.5% to 14,900, the provisional figures revealed. The number of divorces also declined by 12.8% to 14,900. The average length of a marriage was 15 years.

Based on last year’s trend, the statistical office predicts that every third couple who married in 2017 will get divorced. There were no predictions as to how many registered partnerships would dissolve.

More registered partnerships were celebrated between gay couples than between lesbian couples, which corresponds to the figures of previous years. However, there was a steep increase in the number of women choosing this kind of arrangement (+32%). Conversely, the number of men registering their partnership declined (-5%).

Fewer children were born last year, a decrease of 3.3% compared with 2016. The fertility rateExternal link (birth per woman) was 1.48.