In the early hours of December 23 while most Greeks were sleeping, 193 lawmakers in a 300-seat house voted in favor of civil partnership agreements despite protests from right-wing factions and the all-powerful Greek Orthodox Church. Greece has now stepped in line with a growing number of EU countries that allow for such registered partnerships to give same-sex couples the same civil rights enjoyed in Greece by heterosexual groups since 2008.

In this way, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras made good on his promise to mitigate social reforms and apologized that it took Greece so long to close “a circle of embarrassment for the state”.

The draft law was approved by the socialist PASOK party, the centrist To Potami party and the Union of Centrists after fire-fuelled debates, spearheaded mainly by the ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn party. “Golden Dawn is against the civil partnership and will vote against it. We consider that the institution of the family is a natural one, one that is blessed by our religion, by the Church of Greece,” said Golden Dawn party leader, Nikos Mihaloliakos.

The Greek Communist Party (KKE) voted against the bill while the lawmakers of the conservative New Democracy (ND) and right-wing Independent Greeks (ANEL) were split in their views.

Meanwhile, outside Greek Parliament dozens of activists rallied as lawmakers debated the bill. Earlier, as a symbolic gesture against the veracity of some church members in opposing the bill a couple of gay activists garbed in priests clothing passionately kissed outside the Athens’ Metropolitan Church. They stood in front of a banner “Love is not a sin”. Of course, the intent of their protest did not go down well with some passers-by showing that mainstream Greek society is still quite conventional when it comes to tradition, religion and norms.

The bill moves towards a semblance of egalitarianism but there’s still a long way to go before the LGBTQ people of Greece are fully accepted by mainstream society. Furthermore, the bill gives the community similar pension, labor and tax rights but does not allow same-sex couples to marry or adopt children.

Once passed with 194 in favor and 55 against, ministers in Greek Parliament sealed the deal with a kiss:

While outside: