Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis defended his government’s plans to legalize same-sex civil marriages during a cabinet session on Wednesday, presenting the legislation as a step towards greater social equality.
“The new regulation grants additional rights to certain individuals; it does not diminish the rights of the majority,” he said, adding that “an issue of equality should not provide fuel for division.”
The conservative leader clarified that while the draft bill allows for same-sex civil marriages, it would not permit same-sex couples to pursue parenthood through surrogate mothers – an option currently restricted to women facing health-related challenges in bearing children.
Addressing the objections raised by the influential Orthodox Church, which unanimously opposed the bill on Tuesday, Mitsotakis said, “Previous disagreements have not harmed the relationship between the State and the Church.”
The proposal is expected to be debated in Parliament in the coming weeks. Despite facing opposition from several lawmakers within the more conservative faction of ruling New Democracy, it is expected to be enacted into law with the backing of center-left and left opposition parties.
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