Spain’s highest court on Tuesday upheld the legality of the country’s same-sex marriage law, rejecting an appeal contending that marriage in the Spanish constitution means only the union of a man and woman.
The county’s Constitutional Court voted 8-3 to dismiss the appeal of the conservative Popular Party, which was filed shortly after Spain became the world’s third country to legalize marriage for same-sex couples.
Spain’s Parliament passed the marriage equality bill in June 2005 when it was Socialist-controlled — the Popular Party, who opposed the measure, has since come to power. The measure also included the right of adoption by same-sex couples.
The law angered the predominant Roman Catholic Church, but opinion polls showed that most Spaniards supported it.
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More than 22,000 gay marriages have taken place in Spain since the law was enacted seven years ago.
Spain was the third country to legalize same-sex marriage, after the Netherlands and Belgium, and 17 days ahead of Canada.