Pacte civil de solidarité

In France, a civil solidarity pact (French: pacte civil de solidarité), commonly known as a PACS (pronounced [paks]), is a contractual form of civil union between two adults for organising their joint life. It brings rights and responsibilities, but less so than marriage. The PACS was voted by the French Parliament in October 1999, largely to offer some legal status to same-sex couples. In 2012, 94% of PACS were nonetheless between opposite-sex couples.

From a legal standpoint, a PACS is a contract drawn up between the two individuals, which is stamped and registered by the clerk of the court. In some areas, couples signing a PACS have the option of undergoing a formal ceremony at the city hall identical to that of civil marriage. Since 2006, individuals who have registered a PACS are no longer considered single in terms of their marital status; their birth records will be amended to show their status as .

As of 2013, PACS remain available to both same- and opposite-sex couples after marriage and adoption rights were made legal for same-sex couples in September 2013.

The French National Assembly failed to pass PACS in October 1998. The law was proposed by the left-of-center government of Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, and was very vocally opposed by people, mostly on the right-wing, who opposed LGBT rights. Those, such as Christine Boutin and Philippe de Villiers, argued that PACS and the recognition of homosexual unions would be disastrous for French society. Only one right-wing deputy, Roselyne Bachelot, declared herself in favour of PACS.

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Wikipedia