Marriage Equality Law Passes The French Senate

In recent months, large and sometimes violent demonstrations have taken place in Paris against the proposed legislation meant to legalize marriage for homosexual couples. While France’s National Assembly had already agreed to the legislation, tens of thousands of people continued to demonstrate against it.

Following passage by the National Assembly, the French Senate approved the controversial “Equality Act” proposed by the Socialist Party controlled government, earlier this month.

In France, same sex couples will be able to legally marry and adopt children from now on. The second reading of the National Assembly on this legislation, scheduled for this Wednesday, is a mere formality.

Despite this, conservative Senator and former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who served as PM under former President Jacques Chirac, pointed out that the recent surveys show the majority of French population is against marriage equality, suggesting nothing is final and the debate on the subject will continue.

Countering Raffarin, Senator Francois Rebsamen said the problem of the conservatives is that they are always one step behind.

He explains that when the political debate in the country was about whether or not homosexuality should be criminalized, the conservatives willingness to act came too late. He goes on to draw current parallels, stating that they are again “too late” in relation to the developments in the society.

Legalizing homosexual marriage and giving same sex couples the right to adopt was one of current President Francois Hollande’s election promises.

(Image from www.freedomrequireswings.com)

Clarissa Frankfurt (13 Posts)

Clarissa Frankfurt is a law student at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. While her country of origin is Switzerland, she has also lived in America for 4 years and in Germany for 3 years. Her Master studies are concentrated on International law and Human Rights, as well as Diplomacy. When she’s not studying, you can find Clarissa online blogging about politics, mainly American politics, social issues such as Women’s Rights and equality for the LGBT community, Democracy and Human Rights (http://tocareornottocare2012.wordpress.com/). Offline, you can find Clarissa playing the violine in the university orchestra, teaching English, taking part in Model UNs (...MUN) or fanatically shooting hoops.