Greece has become the first predominantly Christian Orthodox nation to legalise same-sex marriage, but has retained a ban on gay couples using donor IVF and surrogacy to have children.

176 MPs from across the political spectrum voted in favour of the bill in the Greek Parliament on Thursday. 76 rejected the change while two abstained and 46 were not present.

Despite facing formidable pushback from within his own centre-right New Democracy party, prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had championed the bill.

Among the opposition, the former prime minister Antonis Samaras had told parliament that same-sex marriage was not a human right and the “dangerous” law should not have been introduced.

Some supporters lamented that the law in Greece still bans same-sex couples from achieving parenthood through surrogacy. Instead, only single women and straight couples have access to assisted reproduction.