"Church Ban on Greek Politicians Supporting Same-Sex Marriage"

The Orthodox Church of Greece has imposed a religious ban on two local lawmakers who supported the legalization of same-sex civil marriage, accusing them of committing a spiritual and moral error. This move comes as part of the Church's backlash against the landmark law, which was approved with cross-party support, making Greece the first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex marriage. The Church's opposition to the reform has led to tensions with politicians and criticism from left-wing parties, while Prime Minister Mitsotakis has championed the law, which also grants full parental rights to married same-sex partners but excludes them from parenthood through surrogate mothers in Greece.