Paris Politician Says Marriage Equality Leads to Incest

Francois Lebel, a Parisian mayor (the equivalent of an American city council member), has announced that does not support France's move toward marriage equality and he will refuse to preside over same-sex weddings because they will lead to legal incest and polygamy. According to AFP/Google News, Lebel "has been widely condemned for his comments by politicians across the political spectrum," including his own political party, the UMP. Some say that Lebel, however, reflects a "grassroots revolt" against marriage equality.

Lebel wrote an editorial in a Paris newspaper saying same-sex marriage sets a dangerous precedent: "Why then would the legal age for marriage be maintained? And why forbid marriage between close relations, paedophilia [sic] or incest which are all still common currency in the world."

According to AFP, polls say that about 66% of French voters back marriage equality. The news service reports that a group of mayors on the island of Corsica have announced they will refuse to carry out same-sex weddings and local council members in the Paris suburb of Le Chesnay "passed a motion calling for a referendum, an idea that seems to be gathering momentum."