France's constitutional council has rejected a challenge by conservative lawmakers to the country's new gay marriage law, saying the law was constitutional.
That means France could see its first gay marriages by the end of May.
France's parliament passed the law legalizing gay marriage last month after a wrenching national debate. Opponents led by the conservative UMP party immediately challenged the law in France's Constitutional Council, which rejected their motion Friday.
The gay marriage law must now be published in the official journal. President Francois Hollande, who made legalizing gay marriage one of his campaign pledges last year, has promised to see the law published as soon as possible.
