Greece legalizes same-sex marriage.

The ruling was greeted with cheers from spectators in parliament and dozens of people gathered in the streets of Athens.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community and supporters celebrate outside the Greek parliament after a vote in favor of a bill ratifying same-sex civil marriage, in Athens, Greece, February 15, 2024. Photo: REUTERS

This law grants same-sex couples the right to marry and adopt children and was introduced after decades of campaigning by the LGBT community for marriage equality in this conservative country.

Greece was one of the first Orthodox Christian countries to allow such unions. “This is a historic moment,” said Stella Belia, head of the same-sex parent group Rainbow Families.

The bill has been approved by 176 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament and will become law when it is published in the official government gazette.

Nikos Nikolaidis, a 40-year-old historian who participated in the protest in support of the bill, said: “This is a very important step for human rights , a very important step for equality and a very important step for Greek society.”

Recent opinion polls reveal a divide among Greeks on this issue. The powerful Orthodox Church, which believes homosexuality is a sin, has strongly opposed same-sex marriage, while many in the LGBT community believe the bill hasn't gone far enough.

Elliniki Lysi, one of the three far-right parties represented in parliament, called the bill "anti-Christian" and said it harmed national interests.

Former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, a New Democracy party lawmaker, said: "Of course I would vote against it. Same-sex marriage... is not a human right."

LGBT groups protested outside the Greek Parliament. One banner read: "No turning back from true equality."

Ermina Papadima, a member of the Greek Transgender Support Association, said: “I am very proud to be a Greek citizen because Greece is now one of the most progressive countries. I think mindsets will change… We have to wait, but I think the law will help address that issue.”

Activists have been pushing for change for decades, often going against the tide of the Church and right-wing politicians. In 2008, a lesbian couple and a gay couple defied the law and married on the small island of Tilos, but their wedding was later annulled by the Supreme Court.

Mai Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/hy-lap-hop-phap-hoa-hon-nhan-dong-gioi-post284654.html