Germany's Constitutional Court has rejected a complaint by the Conservatives which claimed recognising gay and lesbian marriages upset family values

The move is part of the Conservatives' bid to project themselves as the guardians of the traditional family ahead of September's general election. They are ahead in the polls, but their lead is largely seen as a reaction to high unemployment rather than a moral one. Under the law which was passed last August, there have been an estimated 4,500gay marriages in Germany. Lesbians and gays who register their relationships have the same rights as heterosexuals except for tax advantages and adoption rights. Similar laws have already been passed in several Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, France and Portugal.