By Rex Wockner
International News Report
 France's Justice Minister Elisabeth Guigou supported the equal-rights bill |
France's National Assembly passed a partnership law October 13 that
grants registered couples -- gay or straight, romantic or not --
many of the rights of matrimony.
The vote was 315 to 249. If there are no complications, the
"Civil Solidarity Pact" law will take effect at the beginning of
the year.
Justice Minister Elisabeth Guigou said the measure "offers a
solution to five million people who live as couples without being
married."
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The law will apply in areas such as income tax, inheritance,
housing, immigration, health benefits, job transfers,
synchronized vacation time, responsibility for debts, and social
welfare. It does not grant equality in the areas of parental
rights, adoption or medically assisted procreation.
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Unlike heterosexual couples who get married, registered partners
will tie the knot before a court rather than at the town hall.
They also will not be allowed to file a joint tax return until
they've been together three years. Married people can do so
immediately.
Opponents plan to challenge the law's constitutionality before
the Constitutional Council.
The registration measure had passed the Assembly three times
before (on June 15, 1999; April 7, 1999; and Dec. 9, 1998) but
each time it was rejected by the Senate.
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This time, the bill will become law without Senate consideration.
Jean-Benoit Richard of the French Queer Resources Directory
explained: "According to the French Constitution, to become a
law, a project must be voted with the same words by both
assemblies. Otherwise, our constitution says that if both
assemblies cannot find an agreement, the National Assembly makes
the final decision after several ... examinations by both
assemblies."
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