French politicians rejected a bill presented by the opposition Socialist Party seeking to legalise same-sex marriage, despite growing public support for gay rights.
The house, dominated by the ruling right-wing, Sarkozy’s UMP party, voted by 293 votes to 222 to block the bill, with most left-wing lawmakers backing it and most of the right opposed.
Civil unions are available to straight and gay couples in France but do not give all the rights of marriage. A survey published by TNS Sofres showed that 58 per cent of 950 respondents were in favour of gay marriage and 35 per cent were against.
Seven European states – Norway, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden and Iceland – allow gay couples to marry. Others, such as the UK and Germany, allow civil partnerships or unions.
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