Gay marriage to be legalised

MINISTER SAYS SAME-SEX COUPLES WILL HAVE SAME RIGHTS AS HETEROSEXUALS - BUT NOT FOR ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION HOMOSEXUAL couples will be able to get married and to adopt under a new law to be

introduced next month and expected to be voted early in 2013. Garde des Sceaux Christiane Taubira, the justice minister, was fulfilling a campaign promise by President Hollande and said:

"We are well aware of the philosophical and anthropological dimensions around marriage but we feel that they should not break the rule of equality." She said that the law would

extend the rights of marriage, kinship and parentage to same-sex couples and open up adoption either individually or as a couple. Homosexuals wishing to become a "parent" to the

biological child of a partner would be able to do so under the same conditions as heterosexuals. However, homosexuals will still not have the right to artificial fertility treatment (PMA)

and the government has maintained the ban on surrogacy. In an interview with _La Croix_, Ms Taubira said that the adoption procedure was rigorous and would be applied in the same way as for

heterosexual couples. She gave an assurance that the "interest of the child is a priority for the government". France at present only allows same-sex civil unions and granting full

marriage rights to homosexuals will bring it into line with fellow EU countries Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. The Catholic Church has already made clear its stance

by launching a country-wide prayer in favour of each child having a "father and a mother" during the Assumption mass. If passed, the plans mark a major change in a country where

more than 60% of people describe themselves as Roman Catholic. Photo: Galina Barskaya - Fotolia.com