In Monaco, same-sex parents are not legally recognised
National Council member Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo is calling on the government to update administrative frameworks so that same-sex parents can have equal rights towards their children in Monaco © Pixabay
Married abroad, some families in Monaco are raising their children together, but only the biological parent is recognised under Monegasque law — a legal gap denounced by one elected representative.
Everyday challenges for same-sex families
Laure lives in Monaco with her Monegasque wife and their child. Although they married in France, she faces a harsh legal reality in the Principality. “I have no legal rights over my child — it causes problems at school,” she told TV Monaco. The Principality recognises only the biological parent, leaving the other member of the couple in complete legal limbo.
Everyday challenges for same-sex families
Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo, National Council member and president of the Committee for Women’s Rights, Family and Equality, is campaigning to change the situation. “It’s a legal loophole — we need to address it for the child’s best interests,” she said in October. The elected representative advocates adoption as a way to grant legal recognition of the child to both parents in same-sex families.
The recently-founded charity Mon’Arc en Ciel represents LGBT+ people in Monaco and documents the challenges they face. The issue of inclusion for young LGBT+ people remains sensitive in the Principality, as the first LGBT+ charity continues to struggle for tangible progress.