Same-sex Marriage in France

Same-sex Marriage In France

Performed in some jurisdictions

Brazil: Bahia Mexico: Mexico City, ROO United States: CT, DC, IA, MA, MD†, ME†, NH, NY, VT, WA†, Coquille, Suquamish

Recognized, not performed

Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten Israel Mexico: all states United States: CA, RI

Civil unions and registered partnerships
Andorra Austria Brazil Colombia Czech Republic Ecuador Finland France Germany Greenland Hungary Ireland Isle of Man Jersey Liechtenstein Luxembourg New Zealand Slovenia Switzerland United Kingdom Uruguay
Performed in some jurisdictions
Australia: ACT, NSW, QLD, TAS, VIC Mexico: COA United States: CA, CO, DE, HI, IL, NJ, NV, OR, RI, WI Venezuela: Mérida

Unregistered cohabitation
Australia Croatia Israel

See also
Same-sex union legislation Timeline of same-sex marriage Recognition of same-sex unions in Europe Recognition of same-sex unions in South America Marriage privatization Domestic partnership Military policy Listings by country

†Note: Law not yet in effect LGBT portal

Same-sex marriage cannot legally be performed in France, though the PACS, which confers some of the same rights and responsibilities as marriage, is available to same-sex couples.

Same-sex marriage was an issue in the 2007 presidential election, with the Conservative UMP opposing it and the Socialist Party supporting it, though both candidates supported PACS. LGBT organizations in France, who believed that the prohibition of same-sex marriage was contrary to the Constitution, asked the country's Constitutional Council to examine the constitutionality of gay marriage and to review the articles of the Civil Code. On January 28, 2011 the Constitutional Court of France decided that the illegality of same-sex marriages was not contrary to the Constitution, clearly stating that this was a question for Parliament to decide.

On June 14, 2011, the National Assembly of France voted 293-222 against legalizing same-sex marriage. Deputies of the majority party Union for a Popular Movement voted mostly against the measure, while deputies of the Socialist Party mostly voted in favor. Members of the Socialist Party stated that legalization of same-sex marriage would become a priority should they gain a majority in the 2012 legislative election.

During his campaign for the 2012 presidential election, Socialist Party candidate François Hollande declared his support for same-sex marriage and adoption for LGBT couples and included them as one of his 60 government engagements. In May 6, 2012 Hollande won the election and promised to pass same-sex marriage legislation before spring 2013. A month later, in June 1, French prime minister Jean-Marc Ayrault announced that "Marriage and adoption laws for same-sex couples will be done quickly"

On June 17, Hollande's party won an absolute majority in the French Assembly, which was followed by an announcement by the government spokesperson Najat Vallaud-Belkacem on Pride Day that the marriage equality law will be adopted in spring 2013 at the latest. On July 3, in his first speech in front of the newly elected assembly, prime minister Ayrault announced that marriage and adoption for everybody will be a reality "in the first semester of 2013". In August 2012, Prime Minister Ayrault announced the bill to legalize same-sex marriage will be introduced to the National Assembly and the Senate in October 2012. The actual draft bill was finally readied for submission to parliament on November 7, 2012.