Switzerland, 30 Sept 2011 – The Swiss Nationl Council has voted today 97-83 against a bill introduced by citizens that aimed at allowing same-gender couples to adopt [ZOL reports, in German]. Consensus seems to grow and it may not be that bad after all.

Switzerland, 17 July 2011 – A new case from Switzerland on second-parent adoption will be soon pending in the Strasbourg Court. The Supreme Court rejected last May [decision in case 5a_774/2010, in German] an application for adoption by the female registered partner of the biological mother [EJ report; background information on the Swiss Centre for Human Rights, in German]. The couple will file an application with the European Court of Huma Rights shortly.

Switzerland, 5 May 2011 - The Supreme Court rejected an application  by a lesbian woman for second parent adoption of her partner's child. One hurdle for the women was the fact that stepchild adoption is only available to married couples after five years' of marriage. The applicant's had only been in a registered partnership for three years.

It must be noted in this connexion that registered partnerships have only been available to same sex couples since 2007.