Greece has enacted a controversial ban on surrogacy for gay male couples and single men, despite having legalized same-sex marriage and adoption the previous year. The proposed changes, announced by Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis, are part of broader civil code reforms aimed at clarifying the legal definition of pregnancy inability. This stance has received backlash, particularly from the influential Orthodox Church, which argues against same-sex parenting. Prime Minister Mitsotakis has supported these changes as necessary for addressing inequality within family structures in Greek society.
On Tuesday (1 April), Minister of Justice of Greece, Giorgos Floridis, announced the plan to ban gay couples and single men from having children via surrogacy. He noted that proposed changes are part of the broader civil code reforms in Greece, aiming to clarify the legal definition of "inability to carry a pregnancy".
The passing of same-sex marriage and adoption in Greece last year wasn't without opposition. Its main opposition was The highly influential Orthodox Church and its followers claimed that children were being treated as "accessories" and "companion pets" for gay couples.
Floridis told reporters: "We are now clarifying unequivocally that the concept of inability to carry a pregnancy does not refer to an inability arising from one's gender. In other words, a woman may be unable to carry a pregnancy whether she is in a male-female couple, a female same-sex couple or on her own."
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the move would "boldly abolish a serious inequality," emphasizing that progress in LGBTQ+ rights required navigating complex societal views on family and parenthood.
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