Greece has legalized same-sex marriage, becoming the first country with an Orthodox Christian majority to do so.
The landmark bill, drafted by the center-right government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, was passed on Thursday evening by 176 votes to 76.
It also allows gay couples to legally adopt children, but will not allow gay men to have biological children through surrogates in Greece.
Mitsotakis described the passage of the bill as a “milestone in the field of human rights” – one that demonstrated Greece as “a progressive and democratic country, strongly committed to human rights.” European Valuable”.
“People who were once invisible will finally become visible around us. And with them, many children [will] “They finally found their right place,” he said.
Outside the Greek Parliament, supporters of the bill waving rainbow banners loudly cheered and hugged as the result of the vote was announced.
Nicholas, who only gave his first name, said: “It took a long time for this matter to be adopted in our country… but at least it happened, and that is what is important.”
“We are no longer invisible.”
Photo: Reuters
However, the vote came amid protests from opponents of the reform, with people carrying prayer books and religious icons near Parliament.
The bill has faced strong opposition from Greece's powerful Orthodox Christian Church, whose officials claimed the reforms could erode traditional family values.
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Archbishop Jerome, head of the Orthodox Church, claimed that the bill would “spoil social cohesion in the homeland.”
Opinion polls before the vote indicated that most Greeks support reform by a small margin.
Mitsotakis' government was able to pass the bill with the support of politicians from four left-wing parties, including the main opposition party, Syriza.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Photo: Reuters
Three small far-right parties and the Communist Party rejected the bill.
Same-sex civil partnerships have been allowed in Greece since 2015.
However, the law only grants legal guardianship to biological parents of children in those relationships, leaving their partners in a bureaucratic limbo.
