Spain Justice Minister Alberto
Ruiz-Gallardon has denied that the government plans to withdraw an
appeal challenging the constitutionality of the state's gay marriage
law approved under the previous Socialist government.
Members of the conservative Popular
Party (PP) filed a challenge to the law soon after it was approved in
2005. The PP returned to power in elections held late last year.
Speaking to ABC Punto Radio,
Ruiz-Gallardon said that the government could not withdraw the appeal
filed by the PP parliamentarian group “because it no longer
exists.”
He
added that the government would abide by the Constitutional
Court's ruling on the law.
Analysts believe the 11-member court
will uphold the law, even after the installation of four new judges.
Nearly 20,000 gay and lesbian couples
have married since such unions became legal in Spain.
Spain was the third country behind the
Netherlands and Belgium to legalize gay nuptials. Canada followed
suit 17 days later.