Greece has become the first Orthodox Christian nation to legalise same-s+x marriage despite opposition from the church and some politicians, The Guardian is reporting.
In a rare display of parliamentary consensus, 176 MPs from across the political spectrum voted in favour of the bill on Thursday. Another 76 rejected the reform while two abstained from the vote and 46 were not present.
The Athens parliament passed the landmark reform amid scenes of both jubilation and fury in the country. Members of the LGBTQ+ community, many unable to contain their emotion, watched from the galleries above.
The bill required a simple majority to pass in the 300-member parliament. The vote, which came after two days of heated debate and weeks of public reactions will now legally allow same-s+x couples to adopt children as well.
“We have waited years for this,” said the prominent gay activist Stella Belia of legislation that will not only allow same-s+x couples to exchange vows in civil ceremonies but also to adopt children. “It’s a historic moment. A lot of us weren’t sure it would ever come,” she said.
People in favour of the vote celebrated and cheered on the streets of the capital, Athens, describing it as ‘bold’ and ‘long overdued’ while those who opposed, including many identifying with the powerful Orthodox Church, rallied in protest describing the reform as ‘antisocial’ and ‘unchristian’’. They displayed banners, held crosses, read prayers and sang passages from the Bible.
Despite facing formidable pushback from within his own centre- right New Democracy party, prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had championed the bill, saying it would end a “serious inequality for our democracy”. In an impassioned speech before the vote, the 55-year-old leader, who belongs to the liberal faction of his party, said the measure would align Greece align with 36 countries globally that had already legislated on the issue. Conservatism, he argued, should not be conflated with antiquated views that were out of sync with modern society.
“The reform that we are legislating today. will make the life of some of our fellow citizens that much better without – and I emphasise this – taking away anything from the lives of the many, said Mitsotakis, adding that the law would confer full parental rights on same-s+x couples. We are covering a gap by allowing everyone, if they wish, to institutionally seal their relationship. just as heterosexual couples do.”
But resistance had been strong from New Democracy MPs aware of their constituents in the socially conservative nation. Highlighting the opposition, the former prime minister Antonis Samaras, had told parliament earlier on Thursday that same-s+X marriage was not a human right and the “d+ngerous” law should not have been introduced.
Syriza, the main opposition left-wing party led by Stefanos Kasselakis, Greece’s first openly gay political party leader, backed the bill, despite the fact that it maintained it does not go far enough. Syriza has criticised that the legislation still bans same- S+x couples from becoming parents through surrogacy something Kasselakis has said wants to pursue with his own partner.
Mitsotakis posted on X after the vote that Greece was “proud” to become the 16th country in the European Union to legislate marriage equality. This is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today’s Greece – a progressive, and democratic, passionately committed to European values,” he said. Greece had until now lagged behind some of its European neighbours in the 27-member bloc, due to opposition from a portion of the socially conservative nation, especially from the Orthodox Church. It has now become the first country in southeastern Europe to have passed legislation legalising same- s+x marriage.
