In a historic step forward for the LGBTQ+ community in Poland, new legislation has been introduced to support the legal recognition of partnerships between same-sex couples. Presently, only five countries in the EU (Poland, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia) do not offer legal recognition for same-sex couples despite a recent ruling from the European Court of Human Rights in 2023 that these countries are violating civil rights.
Though the majority of Poland’s ruling coalition support the bill, it is also suspected that conservative groups will reject it. What’s more, the bill could be approved in parliament but may still be vetoed by conservative President Andrzej Duda.
According to Notes from Poland, the law allows two unmarried adults to enter a registered partnership at a registry office, regardless of gender. It was introduced by the centrist Civic Coalition, Poland’s central ruling group. On the right, opposing the bill is the national-conservative Law and Justice Party and the Confederation party.
The legislation reads: “The bill is a response to the social needs of same-sex couples who do not have access to the institution of marriage, but also of different-sex couples living in informal relationships, who for various reasons, cannot or do not want to enter in marriage.” The bill claims to protect these types of couples from being excluded while giving them the opportunity to more clearly define mutual rights and obligations. If the bill passes, same-sex couples will still not be allowed to adopt their partner’s children, despite calls to do so from LGBTQ+ rights groups.
Poland has a complex and difficult history with LGBTQ+ rights, being one of the most openly anti-LGBTQ+ countries in Europe. In just 2019, they had established designated LGBTQ-free zones in conservative communities where older populations attempted to make their societies void of LGBTQ+ education, culture and ideologies.
After the fall of communism in Poland, many Poles returned to traditionalist values supported by a vastly Roman Catholic population. However, the country is not without its LGBTQ+ activists. A group of queer Poles founded The Atlas of Hate which documented all the Polish municipalities parading as LGBT-free zones.
It is still unknown whether or not the majority of the Polish government will support the passing of the bill, but recent polls have shown that the majority of the Polish public support the introduction of same-sex partnerships with legal recognition with 62% in favor.
