Greece's Top Court Rules Same-Sex Marriage Constitutional

Greece’s top court, the Council of State, ruled on Friday that civil marriage between same-sex couples and the adoption of children by such couples are constitutional.

With a 21–6 majority vote, the judges rejected a request to annul the provisions of Law 5089/2024, which legalized such unions and permitted adoption rights.

The law sparked outrage among arch-conservatives, with some bishops threatening to deny Holy Communion to lawmakers who voted in favor of the law.

The supreme administrative court was responding to a case brought by three associations opposed to the law, which argued that same-sex marriage alters the traditional concept of family and disadvantages adopted children. They specifically challenged a ministerial decision detailing how marital and parental data would be recorded in civil registries.

However, the court found that the law does not violate constitutional protections of marriage, family, maternity, or equality. The ruling emphasized that the legal recognition of same-sex marriages and related adoption rights aligns with constitutional principles and European case law.

The National Commission for Human Rights intervened in support of the law, arguing that it enhances child protection by formally recognizing relationships between children and non-biological parents. The state also defended the law, stressing that it respects individual privacy and promotes equality without encroaching on religious institutions.