Landmark victory: Greece legalises same-sex marriage, adoption

PTC News Desk: In a landmark victory for human rights in Greece, the Greek parliament passed a law legalizing same-sex marriage making it the first majority Orthodox Christian country to establish marriage equality for all
After months of divided political and public discussions, this shift has been embraced as a much-awaited validation by LGBTQ couples across the country.

Taking to X, Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, "This is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today's Greece - a progressive, and democratic country, passionately committed to European values."

Σήμερα η Ελλάδα γίνεται η 16η χώρα της ΕΕ που νομοθετεί την ισότητα στον γάμο. Είμαστε περήφανοι γιατί το Ν/Σ που ψηφίσαμε αποτελεί ορόσημο για τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα και αντικατοπτρίζει τη σημερινή Ελλάδα: μια προοδευτική, δημοκρατική χώρα, προσηλωμένη στις ευρωπαϊκές αξίες. — Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) February 15, 2024

Andrea Gilbert a founding member of Athens Pride, now approaching its 20th year, said, "We started as an invisible, marginalized community. We continued to vote. Paid our taxes. Campaigned. The legislation provides a legal basis to further build on. It is particularly significant for young couples."
The legislation emphasised parental and children's rights, granting same-sex couples the ability to adopt and gain full parental recognition. 

While Greece previously implemented civil partnerships for gay couples almost ten years ago during the Syriza government, only the biological parents were acknowledged as legal guardians of children within those relationships. With the new law, both same-sex parents can now be legally recognized as parents to their children.

Meanwhile, a member of the Greek National Commission of Human Rights and a lawyer from the Greek National Commission of Human Rights and a lawyer from the organization Rainbow Families, Katerina Trimmi said, “The new law will finally provide same-sex parents some peace of mind on fundamental issues including parental rights to a surviving parent in the event of their partner's death." 

Same-sex couples in Greece have been granted adoption rights, although surrogacy for them remains prohibited. Notably, out of the 27 EU member states, 15 have already legalized same-sex marriage. 

List of countries in which Same-Sex Marriage is legalised 

• United States
• Greenland
• Colombia
• Netherlands 
• Belgium
• Canada
• Spain
• South Africa
• Norway
• Sweden

• Iceland
• Portugal
• Argentina
• Denmark
• Uruguay
• New Zealand
• France
• Mexico
• Chile
• Slovenia
• Cuba
• Andorra
• Estonia
• Brazil

Also Read: Same-Sex Marriage: List of countries which have legalised marriage between two persons of same sex

• England and Wales
• Scotland
• Luxembourg
• Ireland
• Finland
• Germany
• Malta

• Australia
• Austria
• Taiwan
• Ecuador
• Ireland
• Costa Rica
• Switzerland

(With inputs from agencies)

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