GREECE: Parliament Approves Civil Unions

Over the loud objections of the Orthodox Church and the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn Party, the Greek Parliament just approved same-sex civil unions by a wide margin. Earlier this month an Orthodox bishop called on his followers to literally spit on any lawmaker who votes in favor of civil unions, saying, “Deprecate them! Vote against them! They are not human! They are freaks of nature! Mentally and spiritually sick! They are mentally insane! Don’t hesitate, then! Wherever you see them, spit on them! Don’t leave them in peace! They are dangerous!” (Tipped by JMG reader Luis)

UPDATE: The vote was 194-55 with 51 MPs absent.

RELATED: The European Union currently has 28 members. Same-sex marriage is legal in twelve of them: Belgium, Denmark, Finland (effective 2017), France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal,  Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland.) Civil unions are legal in eight EU nations: Austria, Croatia, Cyprus (effective date pending), the Czech Republic, Estonia (effective 2016), Germany, Greece (effective date pending0, Hungary, and Malta. No partnership recognitions exist in seven EU nations: Bulgaria, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Non-EU members Norway and Iceland legalized same-sex marriage in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Non-EU member Switzerland legalized registered partnerships in 2007.