(PARIS) — The French Senate has voted to legalize same-intercourse marriage in France, putting a landmark bill on track to become law by summer. The vote in the upper house of parliament — led by President Francois Hollande's Socialists — comes despite boisterous protests. Opponents — mostly conservatives and fervent Roman Catholics — have sought to defend traditional marriage. Both houses of parliament will now take up a second reading to consider minor Senate changes to the bill passed in February by the National Assembly, also controlled by a Socialist-led majority. The bill would allow gay marriage and let same-intercourse couples adopt children. On the campaign trail last year, Hollande pledged to push through such legislation if elected. About a dozen mostly European nations already allow gay marriage. MORE: How Gay Marriage Won(http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=world.time.com&blog=19871253&post=81335&subd=timeglobalspin&ref=&feed=1)
Via: TIME GlobalSpin