France stands still on civil unions
The prospect of gay marriage becoming law in France was dealt a blow on the weekend with the election of Nicolas Sarkozy as the republic’s new president.
The Centre-Right candidate secured a comfortable win over Socialist rival S?l? Royal in the highest turnout for a French election in three decades.
Royal had committed to legalising gay marriage and adoption, while Sarkozy favoured retaining the status quo of limited civil unions.
Both gay and straight non-married couples can currently sign up to a pacte civil de solidarit?
The pact is a watered-down version of civil partnerships found elsewhere around the globe, adoption rights being the main area missing from the contract.
Meanwhile, prime minister Bertie Ahern has called a general election in the Republic of Ireland for 24 May. The result could have dramatic effects for gay rights in the emerald isle.
Ireland currently has no GLBT civil unions in place. However, main opposition party Fine Gael is in favour of changing the law. The PM’s party, Fianna F?, opposes civil partnerships.
Although the influence of the Catholic Church is often cited as a reason for Ireland’s lethargy in embracing GLBT issues, Spain, a country similarly under the influence of Rome, has some of the most generous gay marriage laws in the world.
