French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault
on Friday announced that the Socialist government of President
Francois Hollande would legalize gay marriage in 2013.
“The government has made it an
objective for the next few months to work on implementing its
campaign commitments on the fight against discrimination on grounds
of sexual orientation and gender identity,” Ayrault's office said
in a statement, Reuters
reported.
Dominique Bertinotti, junior minister
for families, told Le Parisien that gay couples would be
allowed to marry and adopt children together “within a year.”
“They will have the same rights and
duties as any married couple,” she said.
The Socialist Party of Hollande won a
commanding parliamentary majority on June 17.
Currently, France recognizes gay
couples with PACS, a form of domestic partnership which offers
significantly fewer protections for gay couples than marriage.
The government also plans to hold
discussions later this year on transgender rights, specifically
easing complicated name and sex change policies.