( CNN ) -- France 's top court ruled Friday that a bill permitting same-sex marriage and allowing gay couples to adopt children adheres to the constitution . President Francois Hollande is expected to sign the bill into law on Saturday . After the lower house of Parliament , dominated by Hollande 's governing Socialist Party , passed the bill last month , conservative and centrist senators filed a legal challenge with the court , the Constitutional Council . Same-sex marriage : Who will legalize it next ? The legislation admits France to a small but growing club . Lawmakers in New Zealand this year made it the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage . The law is set to be enacted later this year . Its move came a week after Uruguayan lawmakers approved a measure allowing same-sex marriage . The measure awaits the signature of Uruguay 's president , who has indicated he supports it . If and when the laws in New Zealand , Uruguay and France are enacted as expected , the count of nations allowing same-sex marriage will rise to 14 . France would be the ninth country in Europe to allow same sex marriage . The first same-sex couples walked down the aisle in the Netherlands in 2001 , with others following suit in Canada , South Africa , Belgium and Spain . Argentina was the first Latin American nation to legalize such marriages , in 2010 . Other countries on the list are Denmark , Iceland , Norway , Portugal and Sweden . Many countries remain split over the issue . A Brazilian court this week issued a directive removing a barrier that had limited same-sex marriage , but no bill has made it through Congress . Legislators in the United Kingdom are also weighing proposals to legalize same-sex marriage . Lawmakers in Australia voted against a bill to legalize same-sex marriage last September . A poll for the advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality indicated that 64 % of those surveyed `` support marriage equality . '' In the United States , the question went before the Supreme Court and justices are now deliberating over the matter . Twelve U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized same-sex marriages . On the other side , many states have specific laws blocking same-sex couples from legally marrying .
Hollande is expected to sign the bill on Friday . 12 US states and the District of Columbia have legalized same - sex marriage . Several states have OK 'd it , while others are split on the issue .