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| Cities voice support for gay marriage |
2/16/2007 |
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AMSTERDAM – A number of Dutch municipalities voiced opposition on Thursday to the new government’s promise to protect municipal officials who refuse to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples because of their personal principles.
Rotterdam, Utrecht, Leeuwarden, Groningen and The Hague all followed Amsterdam’s example and stated that they will maintain their policy that municipal officials may not refuse to marry same-sex couples.
Eindhoven mayor Alexander Sakkers went so far as to say that it was not appropriate for a coalition accord to contain agreements on the tasks of municipal officials responsible for marriage ceremonies.
A spokesperson for Utrecht also said that “it was not the cabinet’s place to decide personnel policy.”
Alderman Frits Huffnagel in The Hague said that the position that it was acceptable for officials to refuse to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies was “extremely dubious.”
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