France's Socialist government on Monday put off plans for a new family law after demonstrations by thousands of angry conservatives, reports GlobalPost.
A source in Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault's office said the government would no longer present a bill this year that officials had said was aimed at modernising the law to reflect the new "diversity" of families.
The bill would have made moves toward recognising the rights of step-parents but officials insisted it would not tackle more contentious issues like surrogacy or assisted reproduction for lesbian couples.
But opposition had nonetheless grown, with tens of thousands taking to the streets of Paris and other cities on Sunday to denounce what they said was an attack on traditional family values.
Organisers said half a million protesters turned out in Paris alone, though police put the number at about 100,000.
Read more of this AFP report published by GlobalPost.