Just days after German lawmakers
approved a bill that extends marriage to gay and lesbian couples,
conservatives are looking for a way stop the bill from taking effect.
Alexander Gauland, the vice chair of
Germany's Alternative für
Deutschland (AfD) party, told Bild Zeitung that the party is
considering a lawsuit.
“We are currently studying a
challenge at the constitutional court,” Gauland told Germany's
largest circulating newspaper.
According to Politico,
the AfD last week announced the death of the German family on its
website. “In deep sorrow, we say good-bye to the Germany family,
whose constitutional protection was buried by the 'representatives of
the people' at the German parliament,” the notice reads.
(Related: Angela
Merkel reiterates opposition to gay marriage.)
Bundestag Vice President Johannes
Singhammer of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Bavarian sister party the
CSU told Die Welt on Monday that the bill's constitutionality
should be challenged.
“In order to achieve legal clarity, I
suggest that the Constitutional Court should be called upon,” he
said. “It would be faster, however, if a state government were to
do this – for example the Bavarian government.” Bavaria is
considered a conservative stronghold.
The Constitutional Court has repeatedly
ruled against supporters of marriage equality.