French Senate gives nod to gay union
Source: Agencies |
April 13, 2013, Saturday
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THE French Senate voted yesterday to legalize same-sex marriage in France, putting a landmark bill on track to become law by summer.
The vote in the upper house of Parliament - led by French President Francois Hollande's Socialists - comes despite boisterous protests. Opponents, mostly conservatives and fervent Roman Catholics, have sought to defend traditional marriage.
France's justice minister, one of the bill's loudest supporters, said the reform recognizes that many children are already living with same-sex parents and deserve the same protections afforded children of opposite-sex parents.
"These are children that scrape their knees, eat too much candy, don't like broccoli, drive you crazy... we protect them," Christine Taubira told senators following the vote.
She said the reform will "move our institutions towards ever more freedom, equality and personal respect."
Both houses of Parliament will now take up a second reading to consider minor Senate changes to the bill passed in February by the National Assembly, where also Socialists are in a majority.
Some conservative senators vowed to continue their opposition to the bill.
"The parliamentary process continues so we will keep talking with the French people who seem to change their position," said UMP party senator Jean-Pierre Raffarin. "So nothing is definitive and the debate continues."
Polls have shown a narrow majority of French support legalizing gay marriage, though that support falls when questions about adoption and conception of children come into play.
The bill would allow gay marriage and let same-sex couples adopt children.
About a dozen mostly European nations already allow gay marriage.
The vote in the upper house of Parliament - led by French President Francois Hollande's Socialists - comes despite boisterous protests. Opponents, mostly conservatives and fervent Roman Catholics, have sought to defend traditional marriage.
France's justice minister, one of the bill's loudest supporters, said the reform recognizes that many children are already living with same-sex parents and deserve the same protections afforded children of opposite-sex parents.
"These are children that scrape their knees, eat too much candy, don't like broccoli, drive you crazy... we protect them," Christine Taubira told senators following the vote.
She said the reform will "move our institutions towards ever more freedom, equality and personal respect."
Both houses of Parliament will now take up a second reading to consider minor Senate changes to the bill passed in February by the National Assembly, where also Socialists are in a majority.
Some conservative senators vowed to continue their opposition to the bill.
"The parliamentary process continues so we will keep talking with the French people who seem to change their position," said UMP party senator Jean-Pierre Raffarin. "So nothing is definitive and the debate continues."
Polls have shown a narrow majority of French support legalizing gay marriage, though that support falls when questions about adoption and conception of children come into play.
The bill would allow gay marriage and let same-sex couples adopt children.
About a dozen mostly European nations already allow gay marriage.
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