Country report : non-discrimination : Greece 2015

Greece is a parliamentary republic. Popular sovereignty is the foundation of government and all powers derive from the people and exist for the people and the nation. The national legislative authority rests jointly with Parliament and the Government. Greece follows a civil law system (continental) with fields of law separated into specific bodies (civil law, public/administrative law, criminal law, commercial law, labour law etc.). Greece does not have a Constitutional Court, yet all courts of all degrees have an inherent obligation to interpret rules and laws in conformity with the Greek Constitution. Greece has three supreme courts: the Council of State (Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας) (public law), the Supreme Court (Άρειος Πάγος) (private law) and the Chamber of Accounts (Ειδικό Ελεγκτικό Συνέδριο) (limited jurisdiction administrative court). The Greek Constitution contains fundamental rules on the elimination of all forms of discrimination and the promotion of equality, most of which are contained in Part II, 'Civil and Social Rights'. These rights are, namely, the principle of human dignity, the free development of one's personality and participation in the financial, social and political life of the country, the principle of equality, the right to health and gender identity, religious freedom, freedom of speech and the press, the right to legal protection, the protection of personal data, free education, protection of family, marriage and children, protection of people with disabilities, the right to work and equal remuneration. In addition, the State is obliged to eliminate any existing discrimination. These fundamental rules are applicable to all national fields of law and should always be adhered to. However, special laws have been adopted for each field.