Greek PM Mitsotakis to introduce same sex marriage

28 January 2024 Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said last week a government bill legalizing same-sex marriage will extend parental rights to couples, but will not allow for medically assisted reproduction through a surrogate mother. “Already 20 countries in Europe have legislated marriage equality, we are not reinventing the wheel,” he told state-run broadcaster ERT. Mitsotakis said the draft legislation will ensure the children’s equal rights to those in heterosexual households. “Same-sex couples already have children, but they don’t have equal rights. If the mother dies, for example, her partner has no legal right to the child,” he added. He did not specify when this bill will be tabled, but said the public consultation “will not last long.” He also clarified that he will not request party discipline during the vote. Asked how the government’s proposal differs from that of main opposition party SYRIZA, the premier said that it would exclude the right to assisted reproduction through a surrogate mother. “This concept of women being turned into baby-making machines on demand – as the leader of the opposition [Stefanos Kasselakis] said, ‘I want a boy and I don’t care who gives birth to him’ – that’s not going to happen. I want to be absolutely clear, so we are not doing anything in assisted reproduction. We are not changing anything,” he said. On Monday, SYRIZA the Opposition Social Democratic Party, submitted its own legislative proposal for same-sex marriage, which it said would eliminate gender- based discrimination in family law and secure the right to marriage for all individuals. The proposal, crucially, includes rights to medically assisted reproduction. Mitsotakis first mentioned that he planned to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples in July 2023. The right to adoption has been established in Greece since 1946 for single men and is constitutionally protected. LGBT groups in Greece have long campaigned for members of their communities to have full family rights and sought the tougher enforcement of antidiscrimination laws. Greece legalized same-sex civil unions in 2015. Plans to revise the legislation have sparked intense criticism from three conservative lawmakers, a former prime New Democracy prime minister and the influential Greek Orthodox Church.

Greek Tribune Adelaide, South Australia

Greek PM Mitsotakis to introduce same sex

marriage

28 January 2024 Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said last week a government bill legalizing same-sex marriage will extend parental rights to couples, but will not allow for medically assisted reproduction through a surrogate mother. “Already 20 countries in Europe have legislated marriage equality, we are not reinventing the wheel,” he told state-run broadcaster ERT. Mitsotakis said the draft legislation will ensure the children’s equal rights to those in heterosexual households. “Same-sex couples already have children, but they don’t have equal rights. If the mother dies, for example, her partner has no legal right to the child,” he added. He did not specify when this bill will be tabled, but said the public consultation “will not last long.” He also clarified that he will not request party discipline during the vote. Asked how the government’s proposal differs from that of main opposition party SYRIZA, the premier said that it would exclude the right to assisted reproduction through a surrogate mother. “This concept of women being turned into baby-making machines on demand – as the leader of the opposition [Stefanos Kasselakis] said, ‘I want a boy and I don’t care who gives birth to him’ – that’s not going to happen. I want to be absolutely clear, so we are not doing anything in assisted reproduction. We are not changing anything,” he said. On Monday, SYRIZA the Opposition Social Democratic Party, submitted its own legislative proposal for same-sex marriage, which it said would eliminate gender-based discrimination in family law and secure the right to marriage for all individuals. The proposal, crucially, includes rights to medically assisted reproduction. Mitsotakis first mentioned that he planned to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples in July 2023. The right to adoption has been established in Greece since 1946 for single men and is constitutionally protected. LGBT groups in Greece have long campaigned for members of their communities to have full family rights and sought the tougher enforcement of antidiscrimination laws. Greece legalized same-sex civil unions in 2015. Plans to revise the legislation have sparked intense criticism from three conservative lawmakers, a former prime New Democracy prime minister and the influential Greek Orthodox Church.

Greek Tribune Adelaide, South Australia