147 MPs vote “Yes” to sex change at 15

Government hopes on independent MPs to pass bill

147 MPs out of the 285 present voted “Yes” to the article that allows teenagers at the age of 15 to undergo sex reassignmnet surgery. This means the bill on selection of sexual identity was voted into law. Now teenagers will be allowed to change their sex at 15. The amendment on the Turkish Union of Ksanthi was also voted in.

MP Theocharopoulos votes “Yes” to the sex change clause at 15 years old. KKE (Communist party) MP voted “No” to all the sex change clauses as well as the amendment for the Turkish Union of Xanthi. Defence Minister Panos Kammenos voted “No” to article 3, “present” for the rest, while Tourism Minister Elena Koudoura voted “Yes” to the amendment on the Turkish Union and “No” to Article 3.
Major opposition New Democracy (ND) MPs voted “No” to all the amendments regarding the sex reassignment article and “Yes” to the amendment for the Turkish Union in Ksanthi.

Voting on the bill for gender identity is under way in the Greek parliament. The government hopes to gain the support of independent lawmakers, as coalition partner ANEL Mps, as well as 4 SYRIZA MPs will not vote for the controversial article 3 which allows teenagers as young as 15 to decide to have sex reassignment surgery. The government hopes the number of absentee MPs will allow the bill to pass with a 151 majority (a majority on the present suffices for the bill to pass).