France's Parliament Approves Key Article in Marriage Equality Bill

The French National Assembly has overwhelmingly approved the first and most important article in a bill that would bring marriage equality and allow gay people to adopt children in France. The article approved today centers on marriage.

According to the BBC, "Deputies voted 249-97 in favour of Article One of the draft law, which redefines marriage as being a contract between two people rather than necessarily between a man and a woman."

President Francois Hollande's bill has now overcome it's biggest hurdle and is predicted to pass. The Parliamentary debates, which began several days ago, will continue through next week before a final vote scheduled for February 12.

French Parliament Begins Debate on Marriage Equality Bill: VIDEO

France's government began a two-week debate on President Francois Hollande's bill that would allow gay people to marry and adopt children, France 24 reports:

But key areas of the bill, which redefines marriage as "contracted between two persons of different sex or of the same sex”, have been dropped in a bid to appease opponents.

A clause that would allow same-sex couples access to medically-assisted fertility treatment has been left out – for the moment.

Plans to ditch the words "father" and "mother" from official documents – to be replaced by “parent 1” and “parent 2” have also been removed when it concerns heterosexual couples.

Marches for and against have brought hundreds of thousands into the streets of Paris in recent weeks.

Watch an Al Jazeera report on the recent demonstrations, AFTER THE JUMP...

François Hollande Takes Heat for Inadequate Push for Full Equality for Gays in France

François Hollande is at the center of a storm in France and his lackluster support for the equality he once promised gay people means he has groups from both sides protesting his position in the streets. Gay rights groups are planning a new protest this weekend:

Hollande's law is not just about gay marriage but also adoption for gay couples, which is still illegal in France and remains controversial. The proposed law would only allow gay couples the right to adopt if they were married, not in a civil partnership – a distinction that has rung alarm bells among equality groups.

The law would not give automatic joint parenting rights to gay couples who had a child together, nor would it allow medically assisted procreation or IVF. This would give French gay people far fewer rights than those in the UK, and leave a stark inequality between gay and straight couples which has infuriated many on the left.

Socialists and gay campaigners will take to the streets on Sunday for a demonstration which they hope will counter the outpouring of opposition to gay marriage and adoption from the right and certain key figures in the Roman Catholic church.

French LGBT Rights Group Blasts President Francois Hollande for 'Treachery' on Gay Marriage

France's leading gay rights lobby is denouncing remarks made by President Francois Hollande, France 24 reports:

The Inter-LGBT said it was "suspending all relations with the government" until Hollande explained "what at best can be termed a clumsy act and at worse, treachery."

Hollande stirred controversy on Tuesday by saying that French mayors could opt out of officiating at gay weddings. He invoked the right to "freedom of conscience" after mounting opposition and a huge rally in Paris Saturday against the proposed "marriage for everyone" law.

Hollande's government has come under fire from Catholic groups and the right-wing opposition over the bill.

Mayors were obliged to apply the law if parliament voted to allow gay marriage, said Hollande: but "their options for delegation to deputies could be widened."

Hollande's government insist the comments are not backtracking.

Today's Anti-Gay March In France Had A Strict Dress Code

Anti-gay activists held marches across France today to protest President Francois Hollande and others' push for marriage equality, an initiative they're calling "marriage for everyone."

Such groups have proven themselves to be into using costume design to make their point (see picture, right), and today's demonstrations were no exception: pink, blue and white were the colors du jour.

From the Washington Post:

Saturday’s event, entitled “march for everyone,” attracted several thousand people in cities such as Lyon, Marseille and Paris.

There is a dress code of blue, white and pink aimed to put a spin on the French tricolore flag’s traditional colors.

A recent survey found that majority of French favor gay marriage, [while] the support for adoption for gay couples hovers at around 50 percent.

It's unclear how long it will take for Hollande and company to pass marriage equality. The president and his cabinet approved a draft bill earlier this month, but religious and social conservatives, as well as some of Hollande's own socialist party, are increasingly vocal in their opposition and threaten to derail the entire process.

Marriage Equality in France Looking Like Much Less of a Sure Thing

Marriage equality, which a short time ago appeared inevitiable with France's new socialist government led by Francois Hollande, now appears to be much less of a sure thing, the AP reports:

Now, as the Socialist government prepares to unveil its draft "marriage for everyone" law Wednesday, polls show wavering support for the idea and for the president amid increasingly vocal opposition in this traditionally Catholic country.

And it's not just religious and rural leaders speaking out; top figures within Hollande's own party also are at loggerheads. So the Socialists are dragging their feet, releasing the bill later than planned and delaying parliamentary debate on it until January.

A political hot potato, it has entrenched divisions between urban France, where homosexuality is widely accepted, and rural France, where conservative attitudes hold sway.

Anti-gay noise is being ratched up by rival conservatives as well:

Meanwhile, two prominent conservatives with presidential ambitions are railing against gay marriage as they compete for attention and the leadership of the main opposition party, the UMP. Jean-Francois Cope is calling for mass protests against the Socialists' plans, and Francois Fillon suggested reversing the law if he's elected leader.

All the noise appears to be eroding support for same-sex rights and suggests the bill will be diluted or modified before it reaches a vote. Polls generally still show a majority favour gay marriage, though to a declining degree. And a recent poll by Ifop showed less than half now favour gay adoption, down from more than half in previous polls.