France Delays Marriage Debate

France has pushed back its scheduled introduction of a same-sex marriage bill as religious opposition becomes louder.

The legalization of same-sex marriages and adoption was one of the most contentious points in Socialist President Francois Hollande's election manifesto earlier this year. Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault first named Oct. 31 as the date when government ministers would present the law, insisting there would be no backtracking. But his office said Friday that this date has been pushed back to Nov. 7. And the debate in parliament is now expected to last until January. On Thursday, France's Chief Rabbi Gilles Bernheim joined other religious leaders in opposing the plans, while more than 1,200 French mayors and their deputies have signed a petition protesting them.