France’s new Socialist Government is set to remove the words ‘mother’ and ‘father’ from all official documents under its plans to legalise same-sex marriage.

The draft law states that ‘marriage is a union of two people, of different or the same gender’.

The new law will also swap all references to ‘mothers and fathers’ for the word “parents” in the French civil code, the Daily Mail reports.

The proposed legislation will also give adoption rights to homosexual couples.

Justice Minister Christiane Taubira told France’s Catholic newspaper La Croix: ‘Who is to say that a heterosexual couple will bring a child up better than a homosexual couple, that they will guarantee the best conditions for the child’s development?

‘What is certain is that the interest of the child is a major preoccupation for the government.’

And Pope Benedict invited 30 French bishops to Italy to urge them to fight against the new law.

He told them: ‘We have there a true challenge to take on.

‘The family that is the foundation of social life is threatened in many places, following a concept of human nature that has proven defective.’

Leading French bishop Dominique Rey has called on the government to hold a referendum on gay marriage.

He said: ‘A referendum must be held to allow a real debate and to make sure the government is not in the grip of the lobbies.

‘A majority of the population agrees with the traditional view of marriage.’

President Francois Hollande pledged in his manifesto to legalise gay marriage.

The draft law will be presented to his cabinet for approval on October 31.