Deutsche Welle, 16 December 2012
Thousands
of people across France have demonstrated in support of same-sex marriage. The
rallies come after even more people took to the streets last month to protest
against it.
Tens of
thousands of supporters of same-sex marriage and adoption marched through Paris
Sunday, backing the government's planned reforms. Estimates of those attending
the demonstration ranged from 60,000 to 150,000.
Some
100,000 people protested last month against the reforms.
Participants,
who marched to drum beats and jazz music, waved rainbow flags and held up signs
saying "liberty, equality, dignity" and "hate is not a family
value."
"Oui,
oui, oui" (yes, yes, yes) was among the chants in support of same-sex
marriage, adoption rights for homosexual couples and access to assisted
procreation methods such as artificial insemination.
Rallies
also took place in other cities around the country over the weekend.
Mixed
approval
An opinion
poll from the Sunday newspaper "Journal de Dimanche" said 60 percent
of voters supported extending marriage rights to homosexuals, but only 46
percent favored allowing same-six couples the right to adopt.
A bill from
France's socialist government, due to pass in mid-2013, would legalize gay
marriage and adoption, but not assisted procreation. Left-wing deputies of
President Francois Hollande are planning to add that option to the law. The
president was not initially supportive of the move, but has now conceded.
The bill's
passage would make France the 12th country to legalize same-sex marriage,
joining Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Sweden.
Same-sex
couples in France currently have the right to register their relationships as
civil unions.
Groups
opposed to same-sex marriage are planning another large protest in Paris on
January 13, just a few weeks before the proposed bill is set to be introduced
in parliament on January 29.
dr/kms (Reuters, dpa, AP)
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