Muslims join Catholics in fight against President François Hollande’s ‘Marriage for All’ law
French Muslims have joined Catholics in protesting the country’s plans to legalize gay marriage and adoption.
An open letter signed by 50 Muslim activists calls on religious followers to join a march against the law in France’s capital Paris on Sunday (13 January).
‘We will protest on 13 January by joining a pluralist campaign to preserve the traditional framework of marriage,’ the letter reads.
‘We invite all French Muslims to turn out in large numbers.’
The letter follows similar calls by the Union of French Islamic Organisations (UOIF), reported Reuters.
President François Hollande’s socialist government has faced fierce opposition from across most major religious groups in the country over the ‘Marriage for All’ bill, which would legalize same-sex marriage and adoption.
Hollande clashed with Catholics at the weekend after he told faith schools not to talk about the law with pupils.
Tens of thousands of people have joined rallies against gay marriage across the country in recent months, with more than 70,000 protesting in French cities in November and some 20,000 marching again in December.
In 1999, roughly the same number of people came out to demonstrate against the French government’s plans to legalize same-sex and opposite-sex PACS civil unions. However these actions did not change the plans of the government.
In a recent poll, it was revealed 65% of French people back gay marriage, and 53% agree with adoption by same-sex couples.
The gay marriage bill is expected to become law in summer 2013.
by Matthew Jenkin
Source – Gay Star News
