April 28, 2024

Athens News

News in English from Greece

Government bill on same-sex marriage and childbearing


After years of waiting, same-sex couples seem closer than ever to tying the knot.

The Greek government is reportedly working on a bill to recognize same-sex marriages. If it is passed by Parliament, then will allow same-sex couples in Greece to enter into a civil marriage and adopt a child. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed the issue in an interview with Bloomberg, stressing that “Greek society is much more ready and mature.”

The main article states that marriage is between people of the same or different sexes. All other rights deriving from the basic relationship will apply to same-sex couples only by expanding and more precisely defining the concept of “marriage/marriage”.

In addition to the main addition to the article on marriage, the bill will also provide transitional provisions for marriages performed abroad for couples who already have a cohabitation agreement, who can now (if desired) convert it into a marriage.

Greece has not recognized the right to marry for same-sex couples, but the country has made a leap in the relative ranking of countries and the rights of members of the LGBTI community.

According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association, Greece has surpassed countries such as the UK and Germany in terms of legal and political support for the LGBTI+ community.

From 2000 to the present day, a total of 35 countries on all five continents have legislated marriage equality.

20 of them are in Europe and 15 are members of the European Union. The first country to vote for civil marriage in Europe and the world was the Netherlands (2000). They were followed by:

  • Belgium (2003)
  • Spain (2005)
  • Sweden and Norway in 2009,
  • Portugal (2010), Denmark (2012),
  • France (2013)
  • UK (2014)
  • Finland, Luxembourg and Ireland in 2015,
  • Germany and Malta in 2017,
  • Austria (2019),
  • Switzerland (2020)
  • Slovenia (2022)
  • Estonia (2023).



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