Greece to vote on same-sex civil partnerships

The Greek parliament will later this month vote on civil partnerships for same-sex couples.

The vote comes despite strong opposition from the Green Orthodox Church.

Members of the Greek parliament will vote on re-drafting a civil partnerships law from 2008, which explicitly banned same-sex couples.

Greece was in 2013 condemned by the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled that it should not have excluded same-sex couples.

Despite being in a coalition with the Syriza party, the Independent Greeks (ANEL) party has said it will vote against the measure.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has said he hopes to gain support for the move from socialist and centrist parties, in order to counter ANEL’s position.