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Thousands March in Paris Against Same-Sex Marriage

Thousands of people have marched in Paris to call for the repeal of a law allowing gay marriage, six months before France's presidential election.
Image: Participants wave flags as they take part in a demonstration
Participants wave flags as they take part in a demonstration organised by the movement 'La Manif pour tous' against what are seen as 'new offensives against the family and education' on the Trocadero, next to the Eiffel Tower, in Paris on Sunday.ERIC FEFERBERG / AFP - Getty Images

PARIS — 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.

Image: People wave flags and hold signs with messages as demonstrators take part in a protest
People wave flags and hold signs with messages as demonstrators take part in the La Manif Pour Tous (Demonstration For All) to protest against PMA (Procreation Medicalement Assistee or Medically Assisted Reproduction) and GPA (Grossesse pour Autrui or Gestation for Others) during a march in Paris, France, on Sunday.BENOIT TESSIER / 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 organizing 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.