Civil solidarity pact

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.

Those, such as Christine Boutin and Philippe de Villiers, argued that PACS and the recognition of homosexual unions would be disastrous for French society.

The law (Loi n°99-944 du 15 novembre 1999 relative au pacte civil de solidarité[4]) was voted by the French Parliament in November 1999 following some controversy.

The debate is remembered for a few incidents, such as when Christine Boutin attempted to filibuster the bill by speaking for five hours in the French National Assembly, and at some point waved a Christian Bible in the direction of the speaker of the Assembly—a surprising gesture in a country where laïcité (implying no intervention of religion into political matters) is specified in the Constitution.

However, most initial opponents now widely accept the PACS (including Jacques Chirac and Christine Boutin, who publicly changed their minds).

It was to be a marked improvement and alternative over the previous certificat de concubinage notoire, which had minimal rights (and responsibilities) and had been seen as having pejorative overtones.

Wealth tax (the Impôt de solidarité sur la fortune) has been applied to the combined assets of both partners since the introduction of the PACS in 1999.

The committee renewed its support for this tiered system and recommended that the various rights and obligations of each type of union be clearly explained to couples when they register for a PACS, marry, or have a child.

According to the 2004 Demographic Report[8] by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee), the number of marriages in France had fallen each year since 2000.