On August 1, 2001, Helfried Paul (right) and his partner, Stefan Stuppy (left), became the first gay couple in Saxony-Anhalt to be joined in a life partnership in a registry office. The photo shows the two men exchanging rings at the registry office in Gommern. The new Law on Registered Life Partnerships, which was passed by the Red-Green coalition in 2001, made it possible for same-sex couples to be joined together in legally binding life partnerships; it also permits dependent health insurance coverage through the employed partner, provided that he or she is in the statutory health insurance system. Nevertheless, tax advantages are still available only to heterosexual couples.