France to bring in same–sex marriage

Published on 30/06/2012 02:41

France’s new Socialist government is to legalise same-sex marriage next year, a junior minister said yesterday.

President François Hollande, who took office last month, had pledged to legalise gay marriage and adoption during his election campaign.

Since Mr Hollande’s Socialists won an absolute majority in parliamentary elections two weeks ago, the conservative UMP party, which had opposed the measure under former president Nicolas Sarkozy, can do little to stop it.

“Within a year, people of the same sex will be able to marry and adopt children together,” Dominique Bertinotti, junior minister for families, said.

A law granting full marriage status to gay couples would bring France into line with fellow EU members Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden.