Is the Civil Solidarity Pact the Future of Marriage? the Several Meanings of the French Civil Union

Abstract

The French Civil Union, known as PACS (civil solidarity pact) was created in 1999. At this time it was mainly viewed as a registered partnership for same-sex couples. But it has been progressively adopted by different-sex couples; PACS is now widespread among the French population. In 2016, 190,000 PACS were registered versus approximately 235,000 marriages. Through a quantitative approach using the national Study of Individual and Conjugal Trajectories Survey (2013-2014, n = 7825), this article shows that the characteristics of persons in a PACS differ from those of married persons. Those in a PACS are also more likely to report not having a religion; more likely on to be politically left-wing and have had more intimate relationships and couple relationships before the current union. The PACS is more closely associated to the couple on its own, where marriage is more associated to family and the presence of children. Then, the article shows that the choices of the PACS and of marriage are justified in different registers: the PACS is more associated to practical questions (legal, instrumental, tax) than marriage. It also compares the way civil partners and spouses give to their union a 'public' dimension via celebrations. The analysis enables us to understand that despite the increasing number of civil unions, the PACS is not going to replace marriage.