Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced that the government plans to submit legislation allowing same-sex civil marriages, despite reservations from the Orthodox Church and some lawmakers. In an interview with a state-run television channel, Mitsotakis firmly vowed to eliminate any discrimination based on sexual orientation in marriages. “Marriage equality has already been legislated in twenty European countries and Greece is moving forward in the same direction”, he stated.
According to Prime Minister Mitsotakis, the underlying motivation behind this proposal is the equal protection of child rights. Currently, if a person in a same-sex relationship passes away, their child’s guardianship is granted to an institution rather than the surviving partner. This legislative move is designed to counteract this policy, thereby safeguarding the well-being of the child. An additional aspect of the proposal would allow child adoption while maintaining the existing “assisted reproduction regime”.
Historically, Greece has seen significant changes to their family law. In 1982, for example, a sweeping family law reform occurred despite the opposition from the Orthodox Church, paving the way for the decriminalization of adultery, the criminalization of domestic violence, and the right for women to retain their surname after marriage.
Recently, Greece has made a concerted effort to improve LGBTQI+ rights. In 2015, the country legalized same-sex civil partnerships, followed by the establishment of legal recognition of gender identity in 2017. More recently, in 2021, the premier established a committee to draft a national strategy for improving LGBTQI+ rights over the next five years. Just last year, Greece also prohibited conversion therapy for minors.
However, there are still hurdles to be overcome. Despite these advances, same-sex couples cannot have or adopt children. Additionally, recognizing gender identity remains a complex legal procedure and conversion therapy is still permitted for adults. A report by the Council of Europe has highlighted the ongoing discrimination and intolerance encountered by the LGBTQI+ community, who are frequently subjected to hate speech.
Allowing same-sex civil marriage was a key pledge of Mitsotakis’s campaign during his successful bid for a second term in 2023.