France has finally backed down following a stand-off with the Vatican over the nomination of a gay ambassador. More than a year ago, in January 2015, the French government selected openly gay diplomat Laurent Stefanini to head to the home of the Catholic Church.

It usually takes just weeks for a nomination to be approved – but it became clear in April 2015 that the Vatican was ‘freezing out’ the country’s selection of ambassador, refusing to respond to the nomination at all.

French President François Hollande had initially stood firm in the dispute rather than be seen to discriminate against his own diplomat. However, after over a year-long stretch of silence from the Vatican, France surrendered today. Read more via Pink News