French territories cast ballots on EU constitution News
French territories cast ballots on EU constitution

[JURIST] French territories cast their votes on the EU constitution [text] Saturday with the "No" campaign leading in the polls. One survey on Friday indicated a narrowing of the majority's lead in opposing the charter, offering hope to President Jacques Chirac [official website in French] who has been leading the "Yes" campaign [JURIST report]. Another survey, however, showed an increase in "No" supporters. The French territories voting on Saturday are French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. Mainland France will vote Sunday. In the meantime, opposition in the Netherlands remains strong [JURIST report] in advance of its own EU constitutional referendum on Wednesday. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

South Africa becomes first country on continent to legalize same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages became legal in South Africa on November 30, 2006 as the country's Civil Union Act, 2006 went into effect, making South Africa the only country on the African continent to legalize same-sex marriage. Read the Civil Union Act, 2006.