Former Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has criticized the Council of State’s recent decision upholding the constitutionality of same-sex adoption, calling it a “blow to the traditional family”.
In a statement, Samaras said the ruling confirmed concerns he had previously voiced in Parliament that same-sex couple would be given the right to adopt children after the legalization of same-sex marriage. He accused the government of misleading the public, and stated: “The blow to the traditional family is strong. At a time when values and institutions are as necessary as ever for society. All the more so when the demographic problem is constantly growing…”
The Council of State, Greece’s highest administrative court, issued a majority ruling rejecting appeals from three associations that opposed Law 5089/2024, which legalized civil marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples. The court found that the law does not violate constitutional protections of marriage, family, motherhood, or childhood.
The ruling also upheld a related ministerial decision regulating how marital and parental status is recorded in civil registries. Opponents had argued that the law and accompanying regulations conflicted with traditional and religious values.
Law 5089/2024, passed earlier this year, marked a historic change in Greece’s legal stance on LGBTQ+ rights, aligning the country with broader European standards on civil marriage and parental rights.
Samaras, a vocal critic of the legislation, had opposed the law during parliamentary debate, alleging that it would negatively impact families and children’s rights.
