Estonia has become the first country in the former Soviet Union to legalise gay marriage. 

Fifty-five of lawmakers in the country’s 101 seat Parliament voted for the measure, which will now be sent to the President for approval. 

A poll in April found that 53% of Estonians supported the right of gay couples to get married - up from 34% a decade ago. 

"My message [to other countries in central Europe] is that it's a difficult fight, but marriage and love is something that you have to promote," Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said in the aftermath of the vote. 

"We have developed a lot in those 30 years, since we have freed ourselves from the [Soviet] occupation. We are equals among same-value countries.”

Since the Netherlands became first country to allow gay couples to wed in 2001, a further 34 countries have passed marriage equality legislation - a figure that now includes Estonia.

Ireland became the first country to do so by popular in 2015 when 62% voted to support the change in a referendum.

Main image: LGBT pride parade in Tallin, Estonia.