Greek Court Upholds Same-Sex Marriage Law

The news in Greek

1. αποφασίζω
   παίρνω μια απόφαση για κάτι, κρίνω ↩︎
2. πολιτικός
   σχετικό με την πολιτική ή το διοικητικό σύστημα ↩︎
3. ομοφυλόφιλος
   που έχει σεξουαλικό ενδιαφέρον για άτομα του ίδιου φύλου ↩︎
4. συνταγματικός
   σύμφωνος με το σύνταγμα ↩︎
5. υιοθεσία  (f.)
   η διαδικασία σύμφωνα με την οποία ένα παιδί γίνεται μέλος μιας οικογένειας που δεν είναι η βιολογική του ↩︎
6. κοινωνικός
   αυτός που σχετίζεται με την κοινωνία ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What right does the same-sex marriage law give to couples besides marriage?

Question 2: On what principle was the court’s decision based?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
αποφασίζω	decide
πολιτικός	political
ομοφυλόφιλος	homosexual
συνταγματικός	constitutional
υιοθεσία  (f.)	adoption
κοινωνικός	social

Read the full story

The Council of State, Greece’s top administrative court, has ruled that the law permitting civil marriages for same-sex couples is constitutional. This landmark decision also extends adoption rights to these couples, marking a significant shift in Greece’s legal landscape.

The ruling came after a comprehensive discussion in the court’s plenary session. By a majority, the decision established that the provisions of Law 5089/2024, which allow same-sex couples to enter into civil marriage and therefore be eligible for joint adoption or reciprocal child adoption, do not contravene constitutional protections concerning marriage, family, motherhood, and childhood. Furthermore, the law was found to uphold the principle of equality enshrined in the Greek Constitution.

Challenges to the law were brought forth by several associations aiming to protect traditional family values. These groups filed applications to annul the decision outlined by the Minister of the Interior’s decree. However, the court dismissed these applications, affirming that the modifications did not violate constitutional stipulations.

The National Commission for Human Rights (EEDA) participated in the proceedings, advocating in favour of maintaining the validity of the law. This involvement underscores the importance placed on human rights and equality in contemporary Greek society.

This verdict responds to ongoing societal changes and embodies a broader movement towards inclusivity and legal recognition of diverse family structures in Greece. For language learners interested in Greek culture, this development highlights an evolving legal and social environment, reflecting shifts in both public opinion and institutional policy.

Info: “Greek Learner News” is a service from “Let’s Learn Greek”, a language school dedicated to teaching Greek through a variety of online courses. At our school, students have the opportunity to learn to speak Greek with flexible learning options that cater to diverse needs and schedules.