A bill that would allow couples who have signed a cohabitation agreement — including same-sex couples — to become foster parents has been approved by the Greek parliament.
One hundred and sixty-one lawmakers voted in favor of the bill, 103 against.
The bill has divided the country’s SYRIZA-Independent Greeks (ANEL) coalition.
Speaking during a parliamentary debate, PM Alexis Tsipras defended the bill, saying that “the state owes this to our fellow citizens who wish to perform the most human [expression] of our nature: to offer and receive love”.
“The major issue today is the state’s stance before children deprived of the opportunity to live a normal life, and growing up in institutions. (These) children who until now were unfortunately invisible to the state [are] the children of a lesser God, deprived of the right to live and grow up in a home, in a family,” he added.
Tsipras criticized some lawmakers and part of the media for concentrating solely on the provision that allows same-sex couples to become foster parents.
In a debate in parliament on Tuesday, ANEL lawmaker Konstantinos Katsikis compared homosexuality to pedophilia, adding: “These people [same-sex couples] do not want to use their ability to reproduce, but they want to become foster parents.”
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
