Nikolas Sarkozy calls for repeal of France’s same-sex marriage law

Former French president Nikolas Sarkozy has told supporters that the country’s same-sex marriage law should be scrapped and “should be rewritten from the ground up.”

Sarkozi, who has embarked on a political comeback and vying to lead the centre-right UMP party, said he favours some form of marriage for same-sex couples, but insisted that it should not be the same as for heterosexuals.

Sarkozy was pushed to take a firm stand when campaign to lead the opposition centre-right, and is expected to run again for president in 2017.

Referring to the “marriage for all” legislation passed by France’s Socialist government last year, Sarkozy said it needed “rewriting from top to bottom.”

His comments prompted catcalls from the 3,000-strong audience of the group Common Sense, and cries of “Repeal! Repeal!”. Sarkozy, appearing rattled, responded: “If you’d rather one says repeal the law and make another one … in French, that’s saying the same thing. It comes to the same result.

“But hey, if that makes you happy, then frankly, it doesn’t cost much.”

Sarkozy went on to say that he was in favour of some form of marriage for same-sex couples, but something different from that for heterosexuals, and that he opposed surrogacy for same-sex couples.

The former president, has previously criticised the legislation, saying it was “humiliating families and humiliating people who love the family”, but it is the first time he has called for its repeal.

An Ifop poll published on Saturday found that 68% of respondents supported same-sex unions and 53% supported adoption by same-sex couples, which is currently illegal in France.