Greece’s opposition vows to legalize same-sex marriage

The leader of Greece´s opposition has promised to legalize same-sex marriage with full parental rights if he wins a general election next month, in a move that would make it the first predominantly Orthodox Christian country to do so.

Alexis Tsipras, who heads the main left-wing opposition party, Syriza, said his government would grant same-sex couples the legal right to marry.

“The time has finally come, victory for our party will … mean full rights for couples regardless of their gender,” Tsipras said in a recorded video message at an event organized by the youth wing of his party Monday and posted on the Internet Tuesday.

Tsipras said Greece should adopt recommendations made in a resolution passed by the European Parliament in 2021, urging EU member states to fully harmonize rights for same-sex couples with those granted more broadly.

Same-sex marriage is recognized across most of western Europe, but not in Italy and Greece where civil partnerships exist, along with most other EU members in eastern Europe.