Μake us preferred on Google A political dispute has erupted within Greece’s ruling government following a report by newspaper Dimokratia claiming that new primary school textbooks include references to same-sex families with children, turning the issue into a broader debate over education policy and family values.
The controversy centers on two textbooks already included in the National Register of Teaching Books: the second-grade Greek language textbook My Language, published by Nisos, and the sixth-grade Social and Civic Education textbook, published by Poukamisas. The latter lists “a family with two parents of the same sex” among different family types, while the second-grade book includes illustrations and references to same-sex couples raising children.
The books, however, will not be distributed during the current school year. They form part of the new teaching packages planned for the rollout of Greece’s Multiple Book system, which is expected to move from the design phase to implementation in the 2027–2028 school year.
The revelations prompted differing reactions from senior government figures.
New Democracy representative Notis Mitarachi said he opposed such references in primary school textbooks, arguing that they challenged the foundations of the traditional family, which he described as a constitutional priority for the country. He called for the books to be reassessed.
Meanwhile, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis publicly distanced himself from the administrative handling of the issue during an interview with Mega News 104.6, signaling criticism of the process without directly assigning responsibility.
Marinakis said that, as the father of a three-year-old child, the report had raised concerns and prompted him to seek clarification from the Education Ministry. While the ministry had provided what he described as a technical explanation of how curricula are developed, he argued that the issue also required a political response. He stressed that authorities should exercise particular caution and heightened sensitivity when selecting textbooks and curricula for young primary school pupils.
Asked whether officials could face dismissal or whether the books might be withdrawn, Marinakis said it was not his role to “take heads,” adding that any final decisions rested with the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry of Education and the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) later issued a detailed response defending the institutional and scientific evaluation process behind the textbooks. They insisted that no political or administrative intervention had influenced their content.
The sixth-grade textbook’s author, Manousos Maragkoudakis, also rejected claims that the material reflected a “woke agenda.” He argued that such a characterization would only be justified if the book actively praised same-sex families, describing the criticism from New Democracy as an exaggeration.
