On 21 April 2016, the Assembly approved the bill to give same-sex partnerships all rights of marriage, except joint adoption and in vitro fertilisation.
The referendum took place on 20 December 2015 and the bill was rejected. Slovenian Catholic groups, and Pope Francis urged people to vote against the same-sex marriage bill. On 22 October 2015, in a 5–4 vote, the Constitutional Court ruled the National Assembly could not interpret the constitution and that the vote to block the referendum was illegal. The petitioners have gained more than enough signatures for a referendum. Opponents of the bill launched a petition for a referendum. On 10 March 2015, the National Council rejected a motion to require the Assembly to vote on the bill again, in a 14–23 vote. On 3 March 2015, the Assembly passed the bill to legalize same-sex marriage in a 51–28 vote. In July 2009, the Constitutional Court held that Article 22 of the Registration of Same Sex Partnerships Act (RSSPA) violated the right to non-discrimination under Article 14 of the Constitution on the ground of sexual orientation, and required that the legislature remedy the established inconsistency within six months. Registered partnership for same-sex couples has been legal since 23 July 2006, with limited inheritance, social security and next-of-kin rights. Main article: Recognition of same-sex unions in Slovenia
