 On 12 October 2009, the Greens urged the First Faymann Government to keep to its promise of having registered partnerships implemented by January 2010 with Green justice spokesman Albert Steinhauser saying that time was running out for the proposed law.The party also called for opening up marriage to same-sex couples.The next day, the Austrian Minister of Justice, Claudia Bandion-Ortner, announced that a registered partnership law would be announced "in a few weeks".