Congress passed a bill 176-76 that would also allow same-sex couples to legally adopt children.
Greece became the first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex marriage, despite opposition from the church and some politicians.
The bill was passed by parliament late Thursday, with 176 MPs across political lines voting in favor and 76 voting against it. Two people abstained and 46 people were absent.
The bill needed to be passed by a simple majority in the 300-member parliament.
The vote, which followed two days of debate and weeks of public reaction, will make adoption legal for same-sex couples.
Those in favor of the vote celebrated and cheered in the streets of the capital Athens, while opponents, including many Orthodox supporters, held protest rallies. They carried banners, carried crosses, read prayers and sang Bible verses.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who supported the bill, faced resistance from within his centre-right New Democracy party, but politicians from other parties also joined him in voting.
“People who were previously invisible will finally become visible around us. And with them, many children [will] We will finally find a suitable place for them,” Mitsotakis told MPs before the vote.
“The reforms that we are enacting today … will not take anything away from the lives of many people and, I want to emphasize, will make the lives of some of our fellow citizens much better,” Mitsotakis said. He added that this would expose Greece to further danger. List of 35 countries that have already legalized same-sex marriage.
The vote passed. As of tonight, Greece is proud to have become her 16th country in the European Union to legislate marriage equality. This is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today's Greece, a progressive and democratic country committed to European values.
— Primeminister GR (@PrimeministerGR) February 15, 2024
However, in addition to opposition from some sections of the public, there was considerable political opposition to the bill, with former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras being one of its top critics. He told parliament during deliberations that it should not pass “dangerous” legislation.
The main opposition left-wing party SYRIZA, led by Greece's first gay political leader Stefanos Kaserakis, supported the bill even though it claimed it did not go far enough.
Mr. Cilliza criticized the law for still prohibiting same-sex couples from becoming parents through surrogacy, but Mr. Kasselakis said he would like to pursue that with his partner.
After the vote, Mitsotakis wrote on X that he was “proud” that Greece became the 16th country in the European Union to legislate marriage equality.
“This is a milestone for human rights and reflects Greece today, a progressive and democratic country committed to European values.”
Greece has previously lagged behind some of its European neighbors in the 27-nation bloc due to opposition from some socially conservative countries, particularly the Orthodox Church.
The country has now become the first country in southeastern Europe to pass legislation legalizing same-sex marriage.
