Austrian top court okays same-sex marriage

In which Austrians join the cool kids’ club:

Austria's top court has ruled that same-sex couples can get married from the start of 2019, declaring a previous law discriminatory.

The Constitutional Court overturned a law that restricted same-sex unions to civil partnerships, according to court documents seen by CNN.

The decision brings Austria into line with many other European nations including Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and the UK.

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The restrictions on same-sex marriage will now be lifted on 31 December 2018 with the new regulation coming into effect on 1 January 2019.

And here I thought all of Europe was already a gay-marriage mecca.

As a sidenote, is anyone else somewhat surprised (pleasantly!) by how simple, almost mundane, these decisions to allow same-sex marriage are becoming, be they legislative or through the courts? One lawsuit and one court decision later, bam, Austria has marriage equality; Germany legalized it immediately after Chancellor Merkel dropped her opposition to a vote earlier this year; and Australia’s set to pass it as well before year’s end only a couple months after their postal survey. The idea that people should be allowed to live with whomever they love free from government interference is fast becoming the international standard.