A rebellion is brewing among VVD cabinet ministers over the government’s decision not to change the law on gay marriage to stop civil servants refusing to marry same sex couples, the Volkskrant reports on Thursday.

According to research by gay rights campaign group COC, 58 local councils employ a total of 102 registrars who refuse to marry same sex couples. Nearly all are fundamentalist Christians.
Under current legislation, registrars can refuse to carry out a gay wedding. The cabinet has argued that as long as gay couples can get married in every local authority area, opt-outs should be allowed.
Cabinet
A cabinet motion on the issue, drawn up by Christian Democrat ministers Piet Hein Donner and Marja van Bijsterveldt, would also allow councils to renew the employment contracts of gay marriage refuseniks once they expired.
However, the Volkskrant says two VVD ministers in particular – justice minister Ivo Opstelten and his junior minister Fred Teeven – are opposed to the cabinet position.
And VVD MP Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert has also made it clear she will not support the CDA plan either.
Complications
The paper says GroenLinks will now bring its motion calling on the cabinet to get tough on the fundamentalist registrars back to parliament next Tuesday.
The issue became complicated last month when the anti-Islam PVV said it would submit its own legislation to get rid of civil servants who refuse to carry out same sex marriages.
However, it later transpired that was a delaying tactic to win the cabinet time. The PVV has a formal alliance with the minority cabinet.
Earlier stories
PVV go slow set to save civil servants who won’t marry gays
Time runs out for civil servants who won’t perform gay marriages
Civil servants can refuse to carry out gay marriages