France to introduce same-sex marriage bill

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PARIS, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- French lawmakers are set to introduce legislation in October that would allow gay marriage, fulfilling a campaign promise of President Francois Hollande.

"In October, we will send a bill to the National Assembly and the Senate to allow same-sex couples to marry," French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Saturday in an address to Socialist Party members. "It would also allow them to form families and adopt children."

Legalizing same-sex marriage was one pledge Hollande made during his campaign for president earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Once introduced, the bill will be debated in France's two houses of Parliament, which are both controlled by Hollande's Socialist Party.

Should the Parliament approve the bill, France would join countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Spain in allowing gay marriage.