French President Signs Gay Marriage Law

President Francois Hollande signed the newly passed and highly controversial marriage equality bill known as “Marriage For All” act into law Saturday morning.  The first wedding will most likely take place in the southern city of Montpellier no earlier than May 29th as couples must apply for marriage licenses 10 days before they can have a ceremony.

Right-wing opposition has been fierce in France, with large scale protests that have included violence.  Despite the these protests and legal challenges, the President vows to keep the law intact:

“I will ensure that the law applies across the whole territory, in full, and I will not accept any disruption of these marriages,”

France becomes the 15th country world wide to offer full civil marriage equality.  The other countries include Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Uruguay.  Other countries, like the US, allow same-sex marriages in some but not all jurisdictions.

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