The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has, in August, re-affirmed its position that member states do not have to recognise same sex ‘marriage’.
The decision has been hailed as ‘monumental’ by Joseph La Rue of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). He argues that because US judges have previously cited European Court judgments, the ruling could have a major impact on an upcoming same sex case at the US Supreme Court.
In its decision, the ECHR highlighted the fact that there is no European consensus on same sex ‘marriage’. 37 countries within the Council of Europe area do not recognise it and only 10 are in favour of it.
Strasbourg decision
In its judgment, the ECHR affirmed an earlier decision in 2012 that there was no ‘right’ to same sex ‘marriage’ under the European Convention on Human Rights. Judges in Strasbourg made the earlier ruling in the case of a lesbian couple in a civil partnership who complained that French courts would not allow them to adopt a child.
As legal adviser to ADF, Joseph La Rue says it is not surprising that ‘this ground-breaking decision from Europe has escaped the notice of the mainstream media’. Has anyone heard this news on the BBC?
