A French court annulled France's first gay marriage today to set a legal precedent for outlawing same-sex marriages that came down on the side of the conservative government.
The government had declared the marriage invalid and suspended the mayor who conducted it on June 5th in the Bordeaux suburb of Begles. The court ruling was a blow for opposition politicians who want to make gay marriages legal.
"The tribunal declared null and void the marriage between Mr Stephane Chapin and Mr Bertrand Charpentier," the court in Bordeaux, the main city near Begles, said in its ruling.
Mr Chapin (33), a home care worker, and Mr Charpentier (31), a shop worker, said they would appeal against the ruling and take their fight to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.
"We will fight to the end, as we said two months ago, but we will win because we have faith in our country," Mr Charpentier said outside the court.
The couple's lawyer said the court had based its ruling on the argument that marriage is traditionally considered the foundation of the family and that one of its main functions is to have children.
He said the couple remained legally married pending their appeal.