Is the mayor obliged to solemnise a wedding?

No, the mayor is not obliged to solemnise a marriage.

Celebration by Mayor or Deputy

The mayor and his deputies are all registrars. A wedding may therefore be celebrated indistinctly by the mayor or one of his deputies.

In the event of the absence or incapacity of the mayor and the deputies, the mayor may delegate the duties of registrar to municipal councillors.

Municipal councillors who received this delegation can perform marriages.

Cases of unlawful refusal to perform marriage

The mayor or another registrar may refuse to perform a marriage only if there is an impediment (a formality not performed, for example). Otherwise, refusal is illegal.

For example, the refusal to perform a marriage should not be discriminatory (for example, foreigners, same-sex couples, divorced or divorced persons, political opponents).

Responsibility of the mayor in case of illegal refusal

If the refusal to perform the marriage is illegal, the prospective spouses can ask the judge to compel the mayor to perform the marriage. They may also request damages.

The couple referred the matter to the president of the court in referenced.

In case of discriminatory conduct, the prospective spouses may lodge a complaint discrimination to public prosecutor.

File a complaint with the public prosecutor