A coalition of marriage supporters are rallying support for the
institution, organizing conferences, marches, and petitions, as France's
parliament continues debate over same-sex marriage.
On Feb. 5, the National Assembly or the lower house of the French
parliament, approved adoption by same-sex couples and voted to change
the procedure for bestowing surnames on newborns.
Reacting to the news, the group “La Manif Pour Tous,” or “March For
All,” said the move defies the will of “55 percent of Frenchmen” who are
“are against the adoption of a child by two people of the same sex.”
Three days prior on Feb. 2, the National Assembly also approved a key
article of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the nation.
The bill as a whole continues to be debated in the National Assembly
this week, after deputies voted in favor of defining marriage as between
two persons, regardless of sex, by a margin of 249 to 97.
Same-sex marriage is supported by the ruling Socialist party, and is opposed by the Union for a Popular Movement party.
“We are happy and proud to have taken this first step,” said Justice
Minister Christiane Taubira. “We are going to establish the freedom for
everyone to choose his or her partner for a future together.”
La Manif Pour Tous held a conference in Paris Feb. 6 featuring “the
deputies who heroically lead the fight against this bill...for the
opportunity to receive congratulations and encouragement from the public
and citizens..”
The bill faces a final vote in the National Assembly Feb. 12. The Senate is due to review the bill beginning March 11.
La Manif Pour Tous is planning a march in Paris to be held March 24.
Their online petition protesting the bill has already gathered over
276,000 signatures.
The group held a Parisian march Jan. 13, which – according to Bruno
Dary, the former military governor of the city of Paris – drew between
1.3 and 1.5 million people.
Demonstrators included wide range of participants, many with no
reported religious affiliation. Numerous gay individuals took part in
the event, with slogans including “We're more gay without marriage.”
Attendees also included French gay city mayor, Jean Marc, who is
outspokenly opposed to the legalization of same-sex marriage, as well as
members from the organization HOMOVOX, which stands for “one voice for
homosexuals.”
Those within the Muslim community, of which many had voted for
president Francois Hollande for his immigration policies, were also at
the event in disapproval of his plans to legalize gay marriage.