German lawmakers vote to legalize same-sex marriage

Friday marked historic day for many in Germany as lawmakers in Parliament voted to allow same-sex marriage. The vote comes less than a week after Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel softened her stance on opposition to gay marriage, saying that she would allow members of Parliament to vote on it freely. The next step is for the country's upper house of Parliament to formally approve the measure before handing it off to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to sign. If everything is ratified, same-sex marriage will be legalized in early fall, with Germany officially joining other European countries like Spain and France in legalizing those unions.