While even some socialist leaders have come out against gay marriage,they see the government's sanctioning of Mamere as extreme. The respected center-left daily le Monde,which has expressed reservations about gay marriage,last week called the suspension a "government blunder"and mocked Villepin for using such measures against a man who has not taken bribes,pilfered state money or been linked to financial scandals-as have a member of top government officials.And by progressive European standards,Mamere is hardly pushingtheenvelope. Belgium and the Netherlands already celebrate gay marriages. Sweden and Spain are expected to do so by the end of the year.A Gallup poll of the 15 European Union nations last year found 57 percent support, with virtually identical numbers in France.The bottom line is that it's France's government which is out of step with society,not gays who wish to marry,says Mamere,who received 5 percent of France's presidential vote as the Green Party candidate in 2002 As is often the case in France,the future may be found in the past The cultural battle over civil unions that roiled France in the 1990s saw religious and conservative groups screaming that such unions,whether straight or gay,threatened the sanctity of marriage,family values and even French national identity.Before civil unions became legal,the nation endured seven years of legal drafting,two years of parliamentaryWhile even some socialist leaders have come out against gay marriage, they see the government’s sanctioning of Mamere as extreme. The respected center-left daily le Monde, which has expressed reservations about gay marriage, last week called the suspension a “government blunder” and mocked Villepin for using such measures against a man who has not taken bribes, pilfered state money or been linked to financial scandals—as have a member of top government officials. And by progressive European standards, Mamere is hardly pushing the envelope. Belgium and the Netherlands already celebrate gay marriages. Sweden and Spain are expected to do so by the end of the year. A Gallup poll of the 15 European Union nations last year found 57 percent support, with virtually identical numbers in France. The bottom line is that it’s France’s government which is out of step with society, not gays who wish to marry, says Mamere, who received 5 percent of France’s presidential vote as the Green Party candidate in 2002. As is often the case in France, the future may be found in the past. The cultural battle over civil unions that roiled France in the 1990s saw religious and conservative groups screaming that such unions, whether straight or gay, threatened the sanctity of marriage, family values and even French national identity. Before civil unions became legal, the nation endured seven years of legal drafting, two years of parliamentary