The bill, which passed on May 29, would allow unmarried same-sex couples to sign notarized contracts granting them a range of rights currently reserved for married couples. These include joint property ownership, joint tax filing, access to a partner’s medical records, exemption from inheritance and gift taxes, and burial decision-making authority.<\/p>\n
Poland’s constitution explicitly defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. President Nawrocki<\/strong> and the conservative opposition Law and Justice party (PiS) view the civil partnership legislation as a backdoor attempt to introduce same-sex marriage through incremental legal changes.<\/p>\n The legislation emerged from difficult negotiations within Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s<\/strong> center-left coalition. The Left Party, which openly advocates for same-sex marriage, eventually reached agreement with the more socially conservative Polish People’s Party (PSL) on the bill’s provisions.<\/p>\n Katarzyna Kotula<\/strong>, the government’s equality minister, acknowledged in a social media post that the legislation was merely an opening move. She addressed the LGBT community directly, stating the vote would serve as a reminder that LGBT rights are human rights and promising continued advocacy ahead of next year’s elections.<\/p>\n The Tusk government previously attempted to expand LGBT protections last year with hate speech legislation, but that measure was also vetoed by President Nawrocki.<\/p>\n Pawe\u0142 Szefernaker<\/strong>, a senior aide to the president, confirmed the veto decision unequivocally. President Nawrocki later stated he would not sign legislation creating an alternative form of marriage that undermines Poland’s constitution.<\/p>\n However, Nawrocki indicated openness to more limited measures that would help close relatives function administratively without ideological pressure or attempts to erode marriage’s unique constitutional status, though he provided no specifics.<\/p>\n The presidential veto will be decisive since the governing coalition lacks the three-fifths supermajority needed to override it. Constitutional changes would require an even larger two-thirds majority.<\/p>\n The parliamentary debate has unfolded amid controversial developments regarding foreign same-sex marriages. Following a European Court of Justice ruling, the Tusk government has begun recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other EU member states.<\/p>\n Warsaw and Wroc\u0142aw recently became the first Polish cities to transcribe foreign same-sex marriages into Poland’s civil registry, and the government has issued regulations enabling registry offices nationwide to recognize such unions.<\/p>\n Significant legal uncertainty remains regarding the practical consequences of such recognition under Polish law, which does not permit same-sex marriage. Questions about divorce proceedings and other legal matters for registered foreign marriages remain unresolved, Brussels Signal<\/em> reports.<\/p>\n Both PiS and the Confederation party, the two main right-wing opposition forces, had urged Nawrocki to veto the civil partnership legislation.<\/p>\nPresidential Veto Assured<\/h2>\n
Foreign Marriage Recognition Creates Legal Uncertainty<\/h2>\n