FRANCE: French Senate begins to examine controversial gay marriage bill

Record ID: 277825

  • Title: FRANCE: French Senate begins to examine controversial gay marriage bill
  • Date: 4th April 2013
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (APRIL 4, 2013) (REUTERS) SENATORS LOOKING AT DOCUMENTS DOCUMENTS ON TABLE HALL INSIDE SENATE (SOUNDBITE) (French) SENATOR AND MAYOR OF MARSEILLE JEAN-CLAUDE GAUDIN SAYING: "What the French are asking for, what are the French asking for? The French are asking for jobs, better living conditions and instead they are getting bills which divide France into two. B
  • Embargoed: 19th April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA16I6D0RINVSPRSZ36WG6ZVP4N
  • Story Text: The French Senate began debating a bill to legalise same-sex marriage on Thursday (April 4) after the country's lower house voted overwhelmingly in favour of the measure in February.
    The controversial reform has brought thousands to the streets across the country in demonstrations for and against in recent months.
    Addressing senators, French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira defended Socialist President Francois Hollande's pledge to extend the institution of marriage to homosexual couples.
    "Marriage is an act of freedom, the freedom to choose, the freedom to live together, the freedom to get a divorce, the freedom as well not to get married because today, one out of two children is born out of wedlock. By opening (marriage) to same-sex couples, we are making it act of equality. Equality of rights for all couples, equality of rights for all families," she said.
    The move is France's most important social reform since the abolition of the death penalty in 1981 but is opposed by social conservatives in the majority Catholic country, together with many French Muslims and evangelical Christians.
    Senator and Mayor of Marseille Jean-Claude Gaudin criticized the government, saying that in the current economic climate there were more important issues that needed to be addressed.
    "What are the French asking for? The French are asking for jobs, better living conditions and instead they are getting bills which divide France into two. Bravo to the Socialists," he said.
    Meanwhile, both anti- and pro-gay marriage demonstrators began gathering outside the Senate, as lawmakers debated the bill inside.
    Actress and anti-gay marriage campaigner going by her stage name Frigide Barjot called for the law to be reconsidered.
    "The law must be revised, marriage must not be opened up (to same-sex couples) because by opening up marriage, we are opening rights that are inherent to marriage, procreation rights," she said.
    If the bill is passed by both chambers of parliament, France will join 11 other countries including Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Norway and South Africa where same-sex marriage is legal.
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