Former Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, a leading figure within the ruling NeaDimokratia party, has announced that he will vote against the bill legalizing same-sex civil marriage once it is presented to parliament. Samaras also rejected a proposal by conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, a supporter of the reform, that New Democracy MPs opposed to the law could abstain from voting in the chamber. This was reported by Kathimerini.
"For years, all politicians have been telling the Greek people not to abstain from elections and to vote for the sake of democracy. We will therefore tell the Greek people to vote while we tell parliamentarians and ministers to abstain," Samaras told reporters at an event in Kalamata. "The vast majority of society has a clear opinion on this issue and I too will take a stand when the time comes in Parliament," added Samaras, who was prime minister from 2012 to 2015 and is currently an MP.
On Wednesday, in an interview with state broadcaster ERT, Mitsotakis made it clear that he wants to legalize civil marriage and adoption for same-sex couples during his rule, but did not indicate when the bill would reach parliament. However, some MPs and ministers from the ruling conservative party have said they are against it, and according to Greek media, the bill may also need the votes of the opposition to be passed.
In 2015, during the government of Alexis Tsipras, Greece legalized civil unions, but not marriage, for same-sex couples.
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