Greece will legalize same-sex marriage, despite Orthodox Church opposition
Global News
The legislation would be brought to parliament during the house's current term, which ends in 2027, said government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis.
Greece’s center-right government said Thursday it would fulfill a commitment to legalize same-sex marriage, sidestepping staunch opposition from the country’s influential Orthodox Church.
The legislation would be brought to parliament during the house’s current term, which ends in 2027, said government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis.
The statement comes after the Church’s governing Holy Synod issued a 1,500-word opinion late Wednesday, expressing strong opposition to the proposal. The Church’s main argument centered around the issue of raising children, claiming they are being treated as “accessories” and “companion pets” for gay couples.
“We always listen to the opinions of the Church with respect,” Marinakis said. “But at the same time, we are implementing our policy, and will listen to the views of society, civil society, the citizenry, institutions, and parties in total.”
The Church argues that extending marriage rights would create a legal obligation to eventually follow up with parental rights under international rights obligations that Greece has signed up to.
“The position of the Church of Greece remains that children have an innate need and therefore a right to grow up with a male father and a female mother. No amount of social modernization and no amount of political correctness can bypass (this),” the Church circular said.
“Children are not companion pets for those who wish to feel like a guardian, and are not `accessories’ to formalize or make same-sex cohabitation socially acceptable,” it added.
The comment drew widespread attention in the Greek news media.
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