Comments on: French National Assembly approves recognising foreign civil partnerships

By: Anna

Anna — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:44:27 +0000

Given that France's immediate neighbours, Belgium and Spain, have equal marriage, as well as Canada, with which France has very strong links. And there being much sharing of lives and culture amongst them. Instead of this discriminatory, second-class range of other arrangements, recognising same-sex marriages as marriages is overdue.

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By: kitty

kitty — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:58:54 +0000

Robert – France recognise foreign gay marriages but even so they can't adopt in France ( at the moment ……) – we can adopt in the U.K and it's not called a marriage.It would be great to have a marriage but let's not scare them off ….. . Most cons/right wing goverments (at the moment) won't have anything to do with gay marriages but are quite willing to accept civil unions …. let have the rights first perhpas and then fight for the word (if it comes at the same time, great)…

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By: Robert, ex-pat Brit

Robert, ex-pat Brit — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:09:40 +0000

The problem with this is, PACs do not cover most of the civil partnership benefits so that needs to be addressed. What is the point in having all the rights of civil partnerships in the UK while France and others who have similar unions offer less rights? For example, British gay couples can adopt children in the UK, in France, they can't. This only proves that marriage is the only vehicle for conferring full equality in any country offering it to gay couples.

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By: Ammc

Ammc — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:28:19 +0000

I just had confirmed by the Assemblée Nationale's press office that this amendment will become effective as soon as published in the Journal Officiel (daily official journal of all legislation), so no application decree will be needed, hurrah!

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By: kitty

kitty — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:12:33 +0000

My reading of the change is that it would also cover all civil partnerships from all over the world and also all types of civil partnership ie same sex and different sex. Unlike the U.K, France , Holland, New Zealand and probably other countries allow different sex partners to also do a civil partnership – it seems a pretty neat way of covering all forms of civil unions – when will the U.K recognise different sex French PACS couples????

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By: zazou

zazou — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:59:26 +0000

well i am french living in the uk – it is about time !!!

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By: kitty

kitty — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:38:40 +0000

The actual change is this:

* Après l’article 515-7 du code civil, il est inséré un article 515-7-1 ainsi rédigé:

« Art. 515-7-1. – Les conditions de formation et les effets d’un partenariat enregistré ainsi que les causes et les effets de sa dissolution sont soumis aux dispositions matérielles de l’État de l’autorité qui a procédé à son enregistrement. »

Which from my understanding is that British CPs will be recognised as CPS ,Danish civil unions as civil unions ie they don't necessarily become PACS, they become PACS plus the extra benefits of a CP etc providing it isn't against French law.

Sarkozy isn't going to object, would be absurd!

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By: Gonzo

Gonzo — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:21:51 +0000

Tres bien.

Nice to see the Greens once again proving they are the most progressive force in European politics.

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