Greece’s parliament approved a legislation legalising same-sex civil partnerships with a huge majority of 193 – 56. The result was announced early on Wednesday, Associated Press reported. The legislation comes two years after a ruling by the Council of Europe’s Court of Human Rights, which found the country’s laws discriminatory, and ruled in favour of a gay couple who took a lawsuit to it. Greek conservatives were vehemently against the bill, along with the powerful Orthodox Church.

The law does not provide family law provisions that will allow for adoption applications by same-sex couples, but the move has been welcomed by gender rights supporters. Most legislators from the ruling Syriza party backed the bill, while the conservatives from the opposition were split on the vote. The law will come into effect from early 2016.