Well, that's embarrassing.
As many rejoiced over France's legalization of gay marriage, one French politician was left a bit red-faced after the vote. Henri Guaino, a staunch opponent of the so-called "marriage for all" legislation, inadvertently voted in favor of the measure.
Questioned about his vote later, Guaino told Europe 1's Le Lab that he accidentally chose the wrong button. During French parliamentary votes, members have three buttons to chose from: for, against and abstention.
However, Guaino was not the only French parliament member to make a voting error.
Luc Chatel, Marianne Dubois and Alain Chrétien -- all members of France's right-leaning Union for a Popular Movement party -- also cast their ballots in favor of the legislation, despite previous public statements to the contrary.
Chatel revealed to France 3 TV that his "for" vote was, in fact, against his will, since he had told his proxy to vote against gay marriage. Dubois' Facebook page indicated that she was outside Paris at the time of the vote; she may also have used a proxy to cast her vote, La Rep notes.
Chrétien also erred in his vote, though he did not provide a reason why. (Maybe a "Freudian slip?" Le Huffington Post postulates.)
In any case, the politicians have requested that their votes be changed immediately.
Following Tuesday's 331-225 decision in the National Assembly, same-sex couples are now allowed to marry in France, making it the 14th country to legalize same-sex marriage.
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