‘One mother, one father’: Thousands march in Paris against same-sex marriage

Marchers were also protesting Sunday against the use of assisted reproduction techniques and surrogate mothers to help same-sex couples have babies.

Thousands of people have marched in Paris to call for the repeal of a law allowing gay marriage, six months before France’s next presidential election.

People wave flags and hold signs with messages as demonstrators take part in the La Manif Pour Tous (Demonstration For All) to protest in Paris on Sunday. (REUTERS)

Marchers were also protesting Sunday against the use of assisted reproduction techniques and surrogate mothers to help same-sex couples have babies.

Assisted reproduction is allowed in France only for infertile heterosexual couples and surrogacy is banned.

The group organising the march presents itself as promoting the traditional family model of “one mother and one father.” It hopes to influenced the debate before the presidential election next year.

None of the major candidates in the election attended the march.

The 2013 law allowing gay marriage exposed deep divisions in French society, prompting big protests for and against such unions.