In recent years some of the most contentious debates in France have concerned what are conventionally called “social issues”. Changes to France’s marriage laws in 2013 produced mass opposition from across the political spectrum. This year, l’affaire Vincent Lambert sparked heated debate about whether the government was trying to legalise euthanasia by stealth.
It’s in this context that revisions to France’s bioethics laws were presented on July 24 to the government for its consideration. The same day, no less than 20 prominent lobby groups and associations, such as Juristes pour l’enfance (Lawyers for Children) and Manif pour tous (The Protest for Everyone), announced rallies to oppose specific amendments.
