France, Jan. 29 -- The cross-party bill, backed by more than 120 MPs, passed the National Assembly on Wednesday with 106 votes in favour and zero against.

It now heads to the Senate for approval.

The legislation amends the civil code to specify that living together does not create any obligation for spouses to have sexual relations.

While French law has never formally included a sexual duty within marriage, courts have at times interpreted the expectation that spouses will share a home as implying a shared bed.

That interpretation had concrete consequences. In 2019, a man obtained a divorce after judges ruled that his wife's refusal to have sex amounted to a serious breach of marital duties.

France urged to act as rising masculinism ...