A civil servant who refused to marry gay couples has lost his final appeal against unfair dismissal.

Fundamentalist Christian Wim Pijl was sacked in 2011 for refusing to carry out gay marriages, which he claimed conflicted with his right to practice his religious beliefs.

On Monday, the highest administrative court in the country ruled that The Hague was within its rights to sack him. Pijl’s attitude could not be reconciled with the city council’s position on gay rights and equality, the court said.

Pijl had protested that the city’s new policy on gay marriage came into effect in 2007 and should not apply to him because he was already employed by the city. In addition, he argued, regulations give councils some leeway in dealing with civil servants who do not subscribe to gay marriage.

The court also referred to a ruling by the European court of human rights which said sacking civil servants who refuse to carry out gay weddings does not contravene article 9 on freedom of religion or article 14, the ban on discrimination.

Escape clause

The escape clause allowing civil servants who oppose gay marriage to refuse to carry them out was closed by parliament in 2013.

According to research by gay rights campaign group COC at the time, some 58 local councils employed a total of around 100 registrars who refuse to marry same-sex couples. Nearly all were orthodox Christians.