Robert Ménard Faces Fine After Refusing to Marry Man Under OQTF

Overview

• Robert Ménard refused on July 7, 2023 to officiate the civil marriage of a French woman and an Algerian man who was under an Obligation de quitter le territoire (OQTF), and the groom was detained and expelled days later.
• At his trial in Montpellier on September 30, 2026, Ménard publicly defended his decision and said he would act the same way again, while the public prosecutor requested a €7,500 fine and did not seek a ban on holding office.
• The court has reserved judgment until December 1, 2026, and Ménard faces much larger statutory penalties on paper, including up to five years in prison, a €75,000 fine and possible ineligibility.
• The hearing was tense with visible clashes between supporters and opponents, high‑profile right‑wing politicians called as witnesses, and the couple’s lawyer reported threats and asked that support committees not attend the trial.
• The case is feeding a wider parliamentary fight over a proposed law to bar marriages for people in irregular situations and has split mayoral groups, so the December ruling could influence both legal practice and pending legislation.