Loading article...
Sweden bans cousin marriage in unanimous parliamentary vote, becoming the 80th country out of 195 to outlaw the practice
Sweden's parliament has unanimously voted to ban cousin marriage, making it the 80th country out of 195 worldwide to outlaw the practice. The decision has reignited debate in the UK about whether Britain should follow suit, with critics pointing to health risks from consanguineous marriages and links to community insularity.
Sweden's parliament has unanimously voted to ban cousin marriage, a landmark decision that makes it the 80th country out of 195 worldwide to outlaw the practice. Every single member of parliament voted in favour of the ban, reflecting a broad political consensus on the issue across the Swedish political spectrum.
The Swedish decision has reignited a heated debate in the United Kingdom about whether Britain should follow suit. Commentators on GB News pointed to multiple arguments for a ban, including the health risks associated with consanguineous marriages such as birth defects and genetic disorders in children born to first cousins.
Beyond health concerns, critics drew a connection between cousin marriage and community insularity, arguing that the practice contributed to the conditions that allowed grooming gang scandals to go unreported. In communities where members are closely interrelated through generations of cousin marriage, the tribal and cultural loyalties can prevent individuals from reporting crimes committed by relatives.
Defenders of the practice pointed out that Queen Victoria married her own cousin in 1840, though panellists noted that the British royal family has long since abandoned the practice precisely because of the recognised health risks. The argument that consanguineous marriages carry similar risks to drinking during pregnancy was also raised, with the counter that society has moved on from both practices.
The question of whether immigration trends influenced Sweden's timing was raised during the discussion, though panellists emphasised that the health and social arguments alone justified the ban. With 80 countries now having outlawed cousin marriage, pressure is growing on remaining nations including the United Kingdom to review their own legislation on the matter, GB News reported.