The Orthodox Church has been a major influence on the political tensions and agreements in a variety of European and non-European countries for ages. For that particular reason, February 16th 2024 marked a remarkable date in the history of Eastern Europe. The Greek government, under the administration of New Democracy Party and prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has proposed a bill that would plausibly grant same-sex couples in Greece the right to get married legally. However, marriage equality has not always been a prominent policy in Greek parliamentary debates. The government has been highly influenced by the Orthodox Church because of the public’s response and felt obliged to avoid defying religious leaders. So it was an astonishing execution when the decisions were announced to the public.
The marriage equality bill passed the parliament with 176 in favor and 76 against lawmakers. Moreover, some decided to abstain from the vote and a number of lawmakers were not present in the parliament at the time of the voting procedure.
The decision of the vote regarding marriage equality in Greece sparked numerous debates across the country. Many religious leaders and conservative politicians opposed the idea of attributing LGBTQ+ individuals with more rights and perceived the process as a threat to Greek culture and traditions. However, many politicians also back up this idea. “This is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today’s Greece - a progressive, and democratic country, passionately committed to European values,” Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis included in one of his posts on the social media application X. While the current prime minister Mitsotakis stated that their government strongly backed the bill, a plethora of politicians and experts viewed the implementation of the bill unrealistic due to the country’s lengthy history of conservatism.
At the day of the parliamentary voting procedure, many waited the results outside of the Greek parliament. Although some desired the absolute abolishment of the bill and some were inclined to believe that it was necessary, the accumulation of crowds indicated the sensational reactions of the public and how this bill was a very controversial part of Greek politics.
It is also consequential to note that Greece has established a legal ground for civil partnerships for homosexual couples under the left-wing Syriza Party government almost a decade earlier.
Unfortunately, the actions implemented were not adequate for the LGBTQ+ community to bear auspicious sentiments for their future in Greece and the respective non-governmental organizations proceeded with their further campaigns and protests.
“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.” said Andrea Gilbert a founding member of Athens Pride.
The bill will also constitute a legal ground for same-sex couples to adopt and obtain parental recognition from the state. “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,” said Katerina Trimmi, a member of the Greek National Commission of Human Rights. According to a poll executed by Metron Analysis, %62 of the participators support same-sex marriage but %69 of them are against the parenthood of same-sex couples due to the “necessity of a balanced family environment within a household” , as claimed by the religious leaders.
When it comes to the reason of this sudden decision to include this bill in the parliament, some suggest that the rise of openly-gay political leader of the left-wing political party Syriza may have caused the involvement of LGBTQ+ individuals in political discussions. He got married in the United States of America with his same-sex partner Tyler Mcbeth while also stating that they would like to “have two boys, Apollo and Elias (…) through a surrogate mother.”
Amnesty International has stated that although the legal enforcement off the bill is a historical milestone in world history, the bill fails to implement regulations that recognize persons that identify themselves beyond the gender binary, thus being inadequate for the advocacy of the rights of transgender individuals in Greece. Amnesty International states that “while the law will bring very significant changes, it stops short of allowing full equality for non-biological parents and does not recognize identities beyond the gender binary. It fails to facilitate access to assisted reproductive technology for same-sex couples, single men, transgender and intersex persons. It also fails to amend a provision that prevents changing the name and gender of a transgender person in their children’s birth certificate.” It is suggested by the organizations that the Greek government should consider further actions that advocate for the inclusivity of LGBTQ+ individuals.
Considering all the reactions, it is evident that the acceptance of this bill will act as a catalyzer towards the inclusion of homosexual couples in Greek society. This legal voting procedure acts as an exemplary democratic action that advocates for the welfare of the citizens of a country and contains the potential to spark further ameliorations in the constitutions of numerous countries. Finally, it is crucial to note that the globe should be committed to develop for the people’s good and endeavor to improve the living conditions of all marginalized groups.
Works Cited
“Greece First Orthodox Christian Country to Legalise Same-Sex Marriage.” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 16 Feb. 2024.
Greece Legalises Same Sex Marriage in Landmark Change | Reuters.
“Greece: Same-Sex Marriage Recognition, Key Milestone in Fight against Homophobia and Transphobia.” Amnesty International, 16 Feb. 2024.
Paphitis, Nicholas. “Greece Becomes First Orthodox Christian Country to Legalize Same-Sex Civil Marriage.” AP News, AP News, 16 Feb. 2024.
Tanno, Sophie. “Greece Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage in a First for an Orthodox Christian Country.” CNN, Cable News Network, 15 Feb. 2024.