Greece has become the first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same sex marriage

Despite the opposition of the landmark bill by the Orthodox Churches
The Greece government under the leadership of their prime minister Mr Mitsotakis went ahead to legalize same-sex marriage, making it the first Orthodox Christian Country to do so.

According to Mr Mitsotakis the bill which had faced strong opposition from Greece’s powerful Orthodox Christian church, with officials claiming the reforms could erode traditional family values is “milestone for human rights” – one which showed Greece as a “progressive and democratic country, passionately committed to European values”.

The bill also was rejected by Three small far-right parties and the Communist Party.
The bill was passed with the support of politicians from four left-wing parties, including the main opposition, Syriza.

The landmark bill, drafted by prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ centre-right government, was passed on Thursday (15 Feb, 2024) night with a cross-party majority of 176–76 votes.

It permits same-sex couples to adopt children legally, yet prohibits gay men from obtaining biological children through surrogacy in Greece.

“People who have been invisible will finally be made visible around us. And with them, many children [will] finally find their rightful place,” he said.

Greece has now become the first country in southeastern Europe to have passed legislation legalising same-sex marriage.

those in support of the bill celebrated with flags and banners