Greece became the first nation of Orthodox Christians to allow same-sex civil marriage on Thursday, despite the powerful and socially orthodox Greek Church’s objections.
A late Thursday vote in favor of the historic bill put forth by the center-right cabinet of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was cast by 176 members of the 300-seat parliament, representing a cross-party majority. Two members of the house abstained from the vote, 46 members were not present, and 76 members opposed the proposal.
Greece “is proud to become the 16th (European Union) country to legislate marriage equality,” Mitsotakis tweeted following the vote.
He wrote, “This is a landmark for human rights, reflecting today’s Greece — a democratic, progressive nation fervently dedicated to European values.”
Prior to this, the AP notes, opponents of the bill had also demonstrated in the area while carrying prayer books and holy icons.
READ ALSO:
Confusion trails Catholics position on same-sex marriage
Opinion polls suggest that most Greeks support the reform by a narrow margin, and the issue has failed to trigger deep divisions in a country more worried about the high cost of living.
Polls show that while most Greeks agree to same-sex weddings they also reject extending parenthood through surrogacy to male couples. Same-sex civil partnerships have been allowed in Greece since 2015. But that only conferred legal guardianship to the biological parents of children in those relationships, leaving their partners in a bureaucratic limbo.
Credible news.ng
