Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has said that President Barack Obama supports gay marriage because he believes all people should be treated equally under the law.

Schultz, a representative from Florida, made her remarks in a Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) appearance as the Democratic National Convention gets underway in Charleston, where Democrats are expected to ratify a Democratic Platform which includes support for gay nuptials.

During the interview, Schultz was asked how the marriage plank will affect Democrats opposed to such unions.

“Well, applying the law equally – whether you're talking about marriage or anything else – is not a political issue. It's a values issue. It's an issue of principle and President Obama supports marriage equality because he believes that the law should treat everyone equally regardless of who you choose to love,” Schultz told CBN.

“Now, of course, with religious institutions specifically, you know churches and synagogues and other ministries, that's a separate issue.”

“Those religious institutions and religious leaders should continue to decide whether or not to recognize the kind of sanctity to recognize or not. But President Obama believes that the law should not treat people differently when it comes to civil recognition of marriage,” she explained.