- Title: FRANCE/FILE: French parliament to begin debating controversial gay marriage bill
- Date: 28th January 2013
- Summary: LAGERFELD SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS BACKSTAGE (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHANEL CREATIVE DIRECTOR KARL LAGERFELD SAYING: "It's something that I find natural and I find quite nice should two women marry. In my opinion, two mothers are better than two fathers." PARIS, FRANCE (JANUARY 27, 2013) (REUTERS) GRAPHS SHOWING LATEST POLL ON GAY MARRIAGE (SOUNDBITE) (French) ASSISTANT DIR
- Embargoed: 12th February 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA1R65N21KJIKPZH5Y5W0LFUYMG
- Story Text: France's National Assembly is set to begin debating on Tuesday (January 29) a controversial bill to legalise gay marriage that has sparked major protests in France despite the fact that the measure is approved by a majority of the population, according to opinion polls.
The two-week debate at the French Parliament about the planned law change will be one of the biggest social reforms since the abolition of the death penalty in 1981.
The government's socialist and green majority is determined to pass the legislation, against which the conservative opposition has lodged some 5,000 amendments.
Amongst the French population, the number of people who support the legalisation of same-sex marriage has risen despite major protests against the planned reforms earlier this month, a new poll by Ifop showed on Saturday.
"French public opinion is very stable on the issue of gay marriage. Since the beginning of Francois Hollande's mandate, about six people out of ten are in favour of the government's bill on (gay) marriage. One out of two people in favour of adoption," said Frederic Dabi, Assistant Director France at IFOP.
"There are differences depending on the generations and their political affiliation. The ones leaning to the left support the bill massively, the ones leaning to right, much less. But the main point is that the opinion is stable. The different demonstrations have not changed the situation," he added.
Saturday's poll showed the proportion of French supporting legalisation of same-sex marriage has risen to 63 percent from 60 percent in early January and December.
Like several French celebrities who recently openly endorsed the bill, Chanel creative designer Karl Lagerfeld's Couture show at Paris Fashion Week had not one but two brides walk out onto the runway in matching wedding gowns.
"It's something that I find natural and I find quite nice should two women marry. In my opinion, two mothers are better than two fathers," Lagerfeld said after the show.
Support for adoption rights for gay couples also rose by three percentage points, although the country remains divided on the issue, with 49 percent in favour, according to the Ifop poll.
"On the issue of adoption, the gap is much bigger. 63 percent are in favour of gay marriage when 49 percent support the adoption," Dabi said.
Tens of thousands of people marched through Paris on Sunday to support the government's plan but the turnout fell well short of a mass demonstration against the project two weeks ago when half a million people marched through Paris to show their opposition to the proposal. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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