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FRANCE’S LOWER HOUSE of parliament approved a sweeping bill today to legalise gay marriage and allow same-sex couples to adopt children, handing a major legislative victory to President Francois Hollande’s Socialists on a divisive social issue.
The measure, approved in the National Assembly in a 329-to-229 vote, puts France on track to join about a dozen mostly European nations that allow gay marriage and comes despite a string of recent demonstrations by opponents of the so-called “marriage for all” bill.
The Assembly has been debating the bill, and voting on its individual articles in recent weeks. The overall legislation now goes in the coming weeks to the Senate, which also is controlled by the governing Socialists and their allies.
Legislative step
With today’s vote, France joins Britain in taking a major legislative step in recent weeks toward allowing gay marriage and adoption — making them the largest European countries to do so. The Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Spain, as well as Argentina, Canada and South Africa have authorized gay marriage, along with nine US states and the District of Columbia.
“This law is going to extend to all families the protections guaranteed by the institution of marriage,” Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said before the vote.
Contrary to what those who vociferate against it say — fortunately they’re in the minority — this law is going to strengthen the institution of marriage.
As with many major and controversial reforms in France, the issue drew its share of political grandstanding over weeks of debate. Conservative opponents forced a discussion of nearly 5,000 amendments, a move derided by Socialists as inconsequential stalling tactics. But by the final vote, the government rank-and-file rolled out grand, solemn statements of victory.
However, the political right hasn’t given up just yet, saying the Constitutional Court — whose 12 members include three former French presidents and several other prominent conservatives — will determine whether the law, if finally passed, meshes with the law of the land.
The government didn’t get all it wanted. The Socialists last month backed off plans to link the gay marriage measure to relaxed restrictions on fertility treatments, after catching political heat for its stance on assisted reproduction. The issue is expected to come up in a separate bill later this year.
Just checked with friends in France, it’s still there, no raining sulphur, no demonic scenes…
It’s embarrassing that Ireland is so backwards regarding social evolution and civil rights.
Let the bigots begin their tirade…
Irish people are very liberal when it comes to same-sex marriage compared to many other European countries. At least based on poll results that is.
We’re right behind them and everyone knows it. :)
Problem is Kevin, our politicians cater for the older minority that are the majority when it comes to voting time. Our politicians couldn’t care less what polls are saying. Our government is very conservative, our public is progressive.
@Gavin – I understand what you mean but Fine Gael are relatively liberal in comparison to other conservative parties in Europe. Fine Gael actually support civil partnerships, so they don’t exactly come off as “anti-gay”. Alan Shatter supports same-sex marriage. I remember there was an article about Iran and gays and someone criticized Irish people condemning Iran as “hypocritical” as we don’t have gay marriage. That persons argument was extremely stupid as there is a big difference between executing homosexuals and supporting civil partnerships. I wonder why Fianna Fail who supports same-sex marriage didn’t legalize it when they were in government.
So true Gavin- we are a country of pothole politics though and in 2013 it is frankly sickening. People talk about the evils of same sex rights and use religion as a defence. What about the evil the church has done, from abuses to cover ups it is one of the most cunning organisations out there. The Dutch introduced same sex marriage 12 years ago and th country did not fall apart. Ireland has come an awful long way but we are only delaying th inevitable. Ireland will have equal rights one day and then we can stop banging on about it as though it was ever gonna be a problem. I’m not totally against religion and think people are entitled to believe what they want but religious arguments have needlessly prevented even th most liberal of countries from legislating for this. There’s light at the end of the tunnel though with Britain and France already going in the right direction this year, fair play!
A seperation of church and state. That is what everyone should be striving for.
I’d say this’ll drive the IONA institute mad.
I love their case for man and woman marriage, it’s pure ridiculous.
“Everyone who has ever lived has had a mother and a father.”
Explain Jesus Christ.
What if the children when they grow up pine for a mother and father ?
Tom, what if a parent passes away? Should the surviving parent remarry ASAP purely for the sake of the child? I know a few people who grew up with only one parent in their lives and they turned out just fine!
Silly petty arguments that have no scientific basis are the bread and butter of those opposed to equal rights for the LGBT community.
Excuse me for being blunt, but I’d very much doubt any person who is ‘grown up’ pines for a parent figure.
Isn’t that what a part of being independent and mature is all about?
Just because I have a mother and father and am able to enjoy having them doesn’t necessarily mean that two men or two women can do any less of a good job.
It’s a fair question though, thanks.
Marriage is not just for those who decide to have children, there are many married couple who decide not to have kids, does this mean that their marriages are of less important than those with kids, I think not! But whether its a heterosexual couple or gay couple who decide to bring a kid into this world both types of couple should be supported equally by the state in raising their children!
Touché Jack, genius! God, the absentee Father ha!
Children can sense their mothers femaleness and their fathers maleness, is it the claim that this can be replicated. ?
Iona institute parody. Classic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wopoEJxFYQw&feature=youtube_gdata_player
@ Tom – Jack’s counter-argument ( above ) works just as well at refuting this as it did your first argument. Are two loving homosexual patents worse than two neglectful heterosexual parents? The attributes connected to make and female archetypes tend, in reality, to be more fluidly shared between partners. Is it so unbelievable that the father is the better cook and the mother a better football coach?
U takin the piss?
whats with all the liberalisation stuff, every day there’s something new we have to legalise , its ridiculous , every child deserves the right to a natural upbringing , that is a man and woman at the realm .
Vive la France! The UK should be next, wonder how long Ireland’s government will drag their feet on this!
Far too long I should think. Just as it has taken far too long for abortion legislation. We aren’t just backwards we have been running full tilt the wrong way for ninety years.
Well done France, hopefully the rest of Europe & Ireland will follow.
This is an occasion when talking about the UK isn’t correct. The current vote in Westminster applies only to England and Wales. Scotland will most likely pass it in their parliament. But Northern Ireland will be waiting some time.
“France joins Britain taking a major legislative step” Britain has already done it.
Also William Quill Northern Ireland isn’t included in the title Great Britain. It’s part of the United Kingdom.
I think marraige is about two people who love each other and are willing to spend the rest of their lifes with one another. Thats my possibly over-simplified view of the situation.
Nothing simple about it. Spot on in my mind.
Monday the Pope resigns. Tuesday the gays take over. The end is nigh…
Neigh….
Excellent news. Only fair we have the same equal entitlement as the rest of ye to be Les miserable. Roll on equality legislation for Ireland.
Right back to me footy. Come on de Hoops :)
“Come on the hoops”. Thats why im gay :)
Hoops were fooked :P
I am sick of tired of straight people getting to be utterly miserable together. Its long overdue that we allow gays and lesbians to be just as miserable as the rest of us. happy bastards!!
Thats good news …
Not very fair for the kids. How confused they will be. Poor things.
John, you nor I have no idea what growing up with same-sex parents is like, but if you can show me scientific proof that same-sex couples raising children is causing the children harm, I’ll leave you alone for the rest of the article!
It’s this same ridiculous ideology that people had when they were against divorce being legalised, it’s outdated and oppressive and you really should be ashamed of yourself!
You’re only messing John!
John, get back under your bridge
They’ll be more confused as to why complete strangers think they are being raised wrong.
Not very fair? Poor things?
What about that person having a fit at the weekend, who you just walked off and left alone in a hotel bathroom, and not bothering your ass to tell anyone?
What about the fairness there John?
What if he had kids? How was it fair on them that you just walked off and left him there? Did you bother to see if anyone found him? Did you bother to see if there was any long term damage?
I doubt very much you did.
You already lacked the spine to help him the first time around.
My kids have dual-nationality. It may have been a bit confusing for them, but there was never any call for anyone to pity them. Why should someone? And why are children of same-sex parents be any different? Would you say “poor kids” to children of a Catholic-Protestant or Jewish-Bhuddist or Spanish-Canadian couple?
A massive well done to Francoise Hollande and the French government. High time for the government here to follow their example. Equal marriage rights are long overdue. Vive le Francais.
Delighted for them. There’ll be some party tonight. :)
Gareth I wouldn’t even bother replying to Trolls like John Hayes. You shouldn’t waste your time on idiotic posts like that.
Divorce not always good for kids! Sometimes the only resolution but can cause long term damage unless handled respectfully by the Parents. Same Sex Marriage is Legal in Canada and not many Homosexual people have married . A same Sex couple can raise children in a loving Environment although role Models from both sexes are a good balance e.g . Grandparents or extended Family and Friends.
Divorce is very bad for kids. I should know, I’m divorced and I have to kids. It’s a lesser of two evils; divorce was unfairly nasty on my children, but living in a family where the only emotional connection between the parents was mutual contempt and bitterness was far worse for them. We don’t live in a perfect world, sadly.
Equality is equity. Equality is just. Equality is decent. Same sex marriage recognises equality. Legally permitting same sex marriage is right and proper.
The Roman Catholic hard liners in France evenness restored to violent demonstration but to no avail.
Religion is religion. Law is law and let not religion interfere in or contribute to laws.
I can’t imagine we’ll be too far behind. With recent polls at 70% and above in support, you would imagine that would be incentive enough for someone to write up the bill and present it.
However, we all know how conservative the Irish government is. Could be a long time yet.
Never had a mother, never pined for one!
Disgrace what has happened in France, morality brought to its knees . I hope they take to the street again to uphold the Christian values that underpin French republican thinking.
I couldn’t agree more Art. Robespierre would be turning in his grave…to quote him after the revolution, ‘real love can only exist between and man and his true female beauty. As we sit here today deploring the reign of the villain Louis, let us forever keep this union of he and she sacrosanct’.
Christian values Art or just Catholic values.
Catholics talk a lot about freedom of religion but tend to forget about the freedoms of those churches and faiths that wish to celebrate the love between a committed same sex couple, such as the Quakers and Unitarians.
Art, do your ‘christian values’ include the molestation of countless children by members of the clergy? Christianity has a twisted view of morality, in that the organisation can do no wrong, but everyone else on the planet should obey their rules blindly. Christianity is the most dangerous ideology in this world that exists when it comes to the social progress of society!
You’re an utter clown judging and casting aspersions on a whole organisation on the actions of a minority of undesirables. Now go back asleep before Duffy’s next stop on the road.
As I recall, wasn’t Robespierre a bloodthirsty dictator who allowed the execution of people on the mere unproven suspision of opposing him and who’s Reign of Terror lead to the wide spread support for the first restoration of the French monarchy?
Brian, if you worked for a company, and it emerged that employees of that company had done what these clergy have done, and it had been covered up by management over the course of decades, would you stay in that job? Would you be comfortable working for people that are capable of that? As an outsider would you even consider giving them any of your business or be affiliated with that company in any way?
My moral compass would never allow me to do so, and turning a blind eye to what has been carried out by people who have the audacity of calling themselves servants of a higher power and beacons of goodness and morality is truly sickening.
Catholic priests did that not Christians… learn the difference.
No.
Libert
If you and your family worked for aAmerican multinational company in iIreland and the CEO in Boston was found guilty of failing to report abuse by employees in Mexico, would you leave the company and risk starving your family is it? More importantly, would you be ok with you and your family being labelled paedophiles? To quote Mandela ‘it’s not the fault of the majority for the failings of the minority but we are as culpable if we are to apportion blame on everyone in that minority’
BTW i was on about John Hayes, not John Masterson, just to clarify.
Being a mother or a father and being parents are mutually exclusive terms.
But of course they are dear,have you no parents?
@ Liam – maybe I’m a little dim, but I can’t make any sense of what you wrote. A father is a parent. A mother is a parent. I’m all for same sex parenting, but what you’ve written, as I read it, is an oxymoron.
Who’s Bill?
Great news. Ireland will follow suit in about 7-10 years ;)
Gwalior France. It’s been a long time coming, but fair play
Gwan France. Friggin s
Gwan France. Friggin spellcheck
I’m 27 and still unsure on this! Both legalising same sex marriage and adopting kids! Yes in one hand it will never effect me, let them do what they like! in the other hand and in the back of my mind its wrong and makes me sick! Vote on it? There won’t be one! It will just be legalised
Really? It makes you sick?! What exactly about two people of the same sex, in love, makes you sick?
I don’t think it’s hard to comprehend what I’m saying!
From the standpoint of a homophobe I bet it isn’t Macca!
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