The highest administrative court in Greece has ruled that same-sex marriage and adoption rights remain a constitutional right in a landmark decision affirming the country’s 2024 equality law. In the ruling, Greece’s Council of State dismissed a legal challenge that claimed rights for same-sex couples undermined “traditional family structures or the rights of opposite-sex couples.” The case challenged Greece’s official law legalizing same-sex marriage which was passed in 2024 in Hellenic Parliament. PinkNews reports, judges in the court also rejected concerns about same-sex couples being able to adopt, ruling that the practice does not violate constitutional protections for children.
With the 2024 law and this ruling, Greece maintains its spot as the first Orthodox Christian-majority country to legalize same-sex unions. Equaldex, however, reports public opinion on LGBTQ+ rights in Greece still leans slightly conservative with approximately half of those surveyed opposed and half in support of marriage equality for the country.
The 2024 ruling was passed despite concerns from the Greek Orthodox Church, according to OrthoChristian.com. And in spite of the 2024 law, the U.K. issued a travel warning to LGBTQ+ folks, claiming they could experience discrimination in certain areas of the country, just two months later, Euronews reports. The advisory clarified that attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community were more welcoming in cities like Athens and on islands like Mykonos, Skiathos and Lesvos. But in other more traditional regions, safety was not guaranteed.
Greece continues to support a thriving LGBTQ+ community, with Athens Pride attracting between 100,000 and 200,000 visitors every year.
