Greek government says it stands by same-sex marriage pledge even after opposition from the Church

By DEREK GATOPOULOS
Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s center-right government says it will fulfill a commitment to legalize same-sex marriage, sidestepping political dissent and staunch opposition from the country’s influential Orthodox Church. A government spokesman said on Thursday that the legislation would be brought to parliament during the house’s current term, which ends in 2027. The governing conservatives face resistance on the issue within the party. And the Church’s governing Holy Synod, in a strongly-worded rebuke, described the children of same-sex couples as “accessories” and “companion pets.” The comment drew widespread attention in the Greek news media.