The House of Representatives on Wednesday agreed in principle to full marriage equality for homosexual couples against opposition by conservative parliamentarians.
Supporters of the proposal argued it was time for Switzerland as a liberal country to give gay marriage full legal status.
However, opponents, notably from the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, argued civil partnerships for gays and lesbians, introduced in 2007, was enough.
The debate, including the right for lesbian couples to sperm donations, is set to continue over the next few days.
Observers expect the bill to pass in the House, but approval by the Senate at a later stage is less certain.
Right-wing opponents have threatened to challenge a more liberal legislation to a nationwide vote.
The Swiss government in January came out in favour of same-sex marriage, as did the Protestant churches while the Catholic church refused to take a stance.
Iran summons Swiss ambassador over US and Italy arrests
This content was published on
Iran has summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents US interests, to protest against the arrest in the US and Italy of two Iranians.
Swisscom receives greenlight for acquisition of Vodafone Italia
This content was published on
The takeover of Vodafone Italia by Swisscom is nearing completion. All relevant authorities have now approved the €8 billion (CHF7.45 billion) deal.
Novo Nordisk stock market plunge drags down Swiss device maker Ypsomed
This content was published on
The Danish pharmaceutical giant, Novo Nordisk, faced setbacks on Friday that weighed on the share price of Swiss injection device manufacturer Ypsomed.
Swiss press react to EU deal with mix of euphoria and scepticism
This content was published on
Swiss media reaction to the agreement between Switzerland and the EU varies widely. Some are celebrating, while others worry about what is to come.
Swiss Solidarity donations to tackle child abuse top CHF4 million
This content was published on
Swiss Solidarity, the humanitarian arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), has raised over CHF4 million ($4.3 million) to tackle child abuse.
This content was published on
Switzerland should pave the way to allow same-sex couples to get married and adopt children, a parliamentary committee has said.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.