In Greece, weddings share decreases by more than half over past 30 years
The Greek Statistics Authority notes: the decline in weddings reflects profound changes in society and fuels debates about same-sex marriages.
In October 2025, the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) published data, according to which the share of weddings out of the total number of marriages decreased from 89.6% in 1994 to 38.5% in 2024, which means a reduction of 57%.
The minimum number of weddings was recorded in 2020 – 29.5%, after which the figure partially recovered but did not return to previous levels. Marriages in 2024 amounted to 36,649 (19,695 religious and 16,954 civil marriages) recording a
decrease of 9.2% in comparison to 40,351 (21,402 religious and 18,949 civil marriages) in 2023.
The Statistical Authority reports that registered partnerships recorded a decrease of 3.9% amounting from 15,069 in 2023 to 14,486 in 2024. For the first time, 182 registrations of same-sex marriages were included in the 2024 statistics: registered partnerships of the year 2024 amounted for 192 registered partnerships between men and 96 between women.
Orthodoxy remains important for Greeks, but more and more couples choose not the church ceremony, but civil registration or partnerships. It should be noted that Greece became the first country with an Orthodox majority to allow same-sex civil marriages. However, the Church does not bless such unions, which highlights the difference between church and state practices.
Experts note that the "blurring" of the church marriage model overlaps with the general demographic decline and complicates the formation of long-term family policy.
The Hellenic Statistical Authority emphasizes: the thirty-year trend of declining weddings is stable and reflects a deep transformation of family practices. Against this backdrop, the public debate around the legalization of same-sex marriages and the place of Orthodoxy in the public sphere remains one of the most acute in Greek society.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that Greece banned social networks for users under 16 years old.
