Greece school textbooks spark political controversy over family depictions

A political controversy has emerged in Greece regarding new primary school textbooks for the 2nd and 6th grades. The debate centers on content and illustrations that depict diverse family structures, including families with same-sex parents. These books are part of the ‘Multiple Textbook’ reform and are slated for potential use in the 2027-2028 school year.

The Ministry of Education has responded by stating that textbook content is not a political choice but is evaluated by scientific committees through the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) based on pedagogical criteria. The Ministry emphasized that the evaluation process is independent of any minister's personal judgment and noted that a platform has been created to record and examine observations or errors.

The issue has caused internal friction within the ruling New Democracy party. Some government officials and MPs have expressed dissatisfaction, with some calling for the immediate withdrawal of the books to avoid accusations of a ‘woke agenda.’ While some officials, such as government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, have distanced the administration from such labels, others have raised concerns regarding the handling of the matter by Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki.