ABCnews reports on the impact of France’s “civil pacts of solidarity” or PACS. It turns out, this civil union law created for homosexuals is used more often by heterosexuals.
ABCnews.com writes (excerpt):
The ceremony itself takes just a few minutes. The couple goes to a court and assures the clerk they are not married to anyone else. After a few more basic questions, the papers are signed and the PACS is official.
“Now we have rights,” a woman in a same-sex union says, “which we didn’t have a few hours ago.”
Under the civil pact, each partner is eligible for the other’s work benefits. And after three years, they can get the same tax breaks as married couples. Ending the PACS can be as quick and easy as signing one.
“It is not necessary to divorce,” says Daniel Borrillo, a legal specialist. “It is only necessary to inform the authorities that you decided to terminate the contract.”
If there’s a dispute, one party gives notice, and three months later, it’s over.