Public Response
When polled, roughly 52 percent of French citizens were in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. Civil unions have been allowed in France since 1999, but civil unions lack many of the rights that come with marriage and have no provisions for adoptions or assisted reproduction - another topic up for debate. Less than half of French citizens approve of adoption and assisted reproduction for same-sex couples. Most of the opposition of same-sex marriage, adoption, and assisted reproduction comes from the Roman Catholic Church and social conservatives. Last month, tens of thousands of protestors marched in Paris to denounce the proposed bill.
[Photo: protestors via]