Visitors react after the Greece parliament votes to legalize same-sex marriage on Feb. 15, 2024.Photo:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty
ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty
In addition to establishing same-sex marriage, the bill allows gay couples to adopt children and grants full parental rights for married partners. It passed with the support of 176 out of 300 lawmakers following heated debate.
“As of tonight, Greece is proud to become the 16th E.U. country to legislate marriage equality,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who leads the center-right New Democracy party,posted on Xafter the vote. Mitsotakis added that the victory reflects “today’s Greece — a progressive and democratic country, passionately committed to European values.”
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis gestures during debate on a same-sex marriage bill in the Hellenic Parliament. Mitsotakis, a center-right politician, championed the reform.Aris Oikonomou/SOOC/AFP via Getty
Aris Oikonomou/SOOC/AFP via Getty
Greek lawmakers moved forward with the marriage equality and adoption bill against the will of the socially conservative Greek Orthodox Church, whichissued a statement in Decembersaying that same-sex marriage leads to same-sex parenting, and that children deserve to have “both a father and a mother.”
“Children are neither pets for anyone who wants to feel like a guardian, nor ‘accessories’ that will legitimize or make socially acceptable a same-sex cohabitation," the church stated, arguing that allowing gay couples to become parents would go against the nation’s responsibility to “provide a suitable family environment for a child to grow up in.”
But Mitsotakis disagreed with the church’s sentiment, saying that the reform would “significantly improve the lives of quite a few of our fellow citizens, without taking away anything from the lives of the many.”
The Old Royal Palace, which houses the Hellenic Parliament in Athens, Greece.Athens, Greece Photo (c) Linda Garrison
“For far too long, our love has been questioned, our families disregarded, and our rights denied,” LGBTQ advocacy group EuroPride 2024 Thessaloniki wrote on Facebook. “This isn’t just about legal recognition; it’s about validation, acceptance, and the affirmation of our inherent worth. It’s about the right to love who we love, to build families rooted in love and respect, and to live authentically without fear of discrimination.”
“As we embrace each other with love and pride, let this be a reminder that change is possible, hope is powerful, and love always wins,” the statement continued. “Today, we celebrate!”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.
While the law now supports same-sex adoption, it does not allow gay couples to become parents via surrogacy, a less-accepted practice among Greek citizens. Advocacy groups are preparing to tackle that issue next.
source: people.com
