"Greece has become the world’s first Christian Orthodox nation to legalise same-sex marriage after the Athens parliament passed the landmark reform amid scenes of both jubilation and fury in the country.
Despite facing formidable pushback from within his own centre-right New Democracy party, prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had championed the bill, saying it would end a “serious inequality for our democracy”.
In an impassioned speech before the vote, the 55-year-old leader, who belongs to the liberal faction of his party, said the measure would align Greece with 36 countries globally that had already legislated on the issue. Conservatism, he argued, should not be conflated with antiquated views that were out of sync with modern society.
“The reform that we are legislating today … will make the life of some of our fellow citizens that much better without – and I emphasise this – taking away anything from the lives of the many,” said Mitsotakis, adding that the law would confer full parental rights on same-sex couples."
“We are covering a gap by allowing everyone, if they wish, to institutionally seal their relationship … just as heterosexual couples do.”
But resistance had been strong from New Democracy MPs aware of their constituents in the socially conservative nation.
Highlighting the opposition, the former prime minister Antonis Samaras had told parliament earlier on Thursday that same-sex marriage was not a human right and the “dangerous” law should not have been introduced"
Despite facing formidable pushback from within his own centre-right New Democracy party, prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had championed the bill, saying it would end a “serious inequality for our democracy”.
In an impassioned speech before the vote, the 55-year-old leader, who belongs to the liberal faction of his party, said the measure would align Greece with 36 countries globally that had already legislated on the issue. Conservatism, he argued, should not be conflated with antiquated views that were out of sync with modern society.
“The reform that we are legislating today … will make the life of some of our fellow citizens that much better without – and I emphasise this – taking away anything from the lives of the many,” said Mitsotakis, adding that the law would confer full parental rights on same-sex couples."
“We are covering a gap by allowing everyone, if they wish, to institutionally seal their relationship … just as heterosexual couples do.”
But resistance had been strong from New Democracy MPs aware of their constituents in the socially conservative nation.
Highlighting the opposition, the former prime minister Antonis Samaras had told parliament earlier on Thursday that same-sex marriage was not a human right and the “dangerous” law should not have been introduced"
