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Artificial insemination (symbol image)
Photo: Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert / dpa
The Paris National Assembly has sealed the so-called bioethics law.
This means that in the future, singles and lesbian couples will also be able to realize their desire to have children for the first time.
The law was a campaign promise made by President Emmanuel Macron.
Until now, single women or lesbian couples from France had to travel abroad to be fertilized with donor sperm.
That was possible in Belgium or Spain, for example.
Only heterosexual couples who cannot father children were able to use in vitro fertilization in France.
They had to be married or have lived together for at least two years.
According to surveys, more than two thirds of the French support the opening up of artificial insemination, as it is already common in other European countries.
Conservative and church groups demonstrated against the amendment several times.
They argue that the law deprives children of a father figure and threatens traditional family structures.
The French Health Minister Olivier Véran, however, spoke of a "good day" for France.
According to him, the first children could be conceived under the new regulation "before the end of 2021".
Surrogacy remains forbidden
The bioethics law also allows more French women to freeze their eggs so that they can be artificially fertilized later.
Until now, such treatment has only been allowed in exceptional cases, such as when cancer treatment impaired fertility.
In addition, the law gives children conceived with donor sperm the right, as adults, to inquire about their father's identity.
So far, France has guaranteed the donor anonymity.
However, surrogacy remains prohibited.
Children conceived abroad in this way can, however, be recognized by the authorities for the first time, subject to certain conditions.
mfh / AFP