mother is automatically recognised as a parent, and an unmarried partner can formally recognise the child at the civil registry. An equivalent solution for male same-sex couples has not been agreed upon, due to the controversy surrounding surrogacy. Statistics According to the Belgian Official Journal, approximately 300 same-sex couples were married between June 2003 and April 2004 (245 in 2003 and 55 in 2004). This constituted 1.2 percent of the total number of marriages in Belgium during that period. Two-thirds of the couples were male and one-third female. On 22 July 2005, the Belgian Government announced that a total of 2,442 same-sex marriages had taken place in the country since the extension of marriage rights two years earlier. The following table summarizes the number of people who have married a partner of the same sex in Belgium per year. The odd numbers are due to the fact that certain partners are not officially inscribed in the National Register or are the result of an incorrect registration. Figures for 2020 are lower than previous years because of the restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of same-sex marriages by region: Consequently, the share of same-sex marriages among all marriages also differs from region to region. In 2021, almost 2.9% of marriages in Brussels and 3.0% in Flanders were same-sex marriages, compared to 2.7% in Wallonia. The province with the lowest rate is Walloon Brabant (1.9%) and the one with the highest rate is East Flanders (3.6%). Religious performance The United Protestant Church in Belgium has allowed its congregations to perform same-sex marriages since 2007. In September 2022, Roman Catholic bishops in Flanders issued a document permitting same-sex unions to be blessed in their churches. The document allows for a ritual which includes a prayer and a final benediction in front of family and friends. It emphasised that while such blessings did not alter the Catholic doctrine on "sacramental marriage," the move would allow the Church to be "pastorally close to homosexual persons" and a "welcoming [place] that excludes no one." Public opinion The 2006 Eurobarometer found that 62% of Belgian respondents thought same-sex marriages should be allowed in Europe. A 2008 survey by Delta Lloyd Life found that 76% of Belgians supported same-sex marriage and 46% thought that same-sex couples could raise children just as well as opposite-sex couples. A May 2013 Ipsos poll found that 67% of