Poland’s path to legal recognition for LGBTQ+ couples faces another setback after President Karol Nawrocki vetoed legislation that would have created civil partnerships for unmarried couples, including same-sex partners.
The proposed bill would not technically have legalized same-sex marriage, which is currently prohibited under Poland’s Constitution. However, it did seek to provide unmarried couples with some legal protections, including rights related to inheritance, shared property, medical decision-making, and access to information about a hospitalized partner. Advocates viewed the measure as a practical first step toward addressing gaps in legal protections for LGBTQ+ families.
In announcing his veto, Nawrocki claimed that the legislation conflicted with Poland’s constitutional definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The decision fulfills campaign promises made by the conservative president who has repeatedly voiced opposition to expanding legal recognition for same-sex couples.
The veto is a significant blow to Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s ruling coalition, which has pledged to advance LGBTQ+ rights as part of a broader effort to align Poland more closely with the European Union’s civil standards.
The decision also highlights the contrast between Poland’s domestic laws and developments elsewhere in Europe. And while public opinion has gradually shifted in favor of some form of legal recognition for same-sex couples, political divisions continue to prevent legislative progress.
According to Equaldex, though homosexuality is legal in Poland, there are no protections for queer folks from discrimination with the exception of employment discrimination. Plus, conversion therapy remains legal and non-binary gender identities are not recognized.
Equaldex also indicates that public support for LGBTQ+ people has improved in recent years. Polls from the database indicate that support for LGBT people being open about their sexual orientation or gender identity, rendered support by 36% and opposition by just 26%. Still, other polls on topics such as LGBTQ+ public displays of affection see more opposition than support.
In the past decade, Poland has implemented and abolished “LGBT free-zones” which prohibited public displays of queer identity and love, and censored LGBTQ+ content in designated areas of the country, according to Human Rights Watch.
Although recent court rulings have required Polish authorities to recognize certain same-sex marriages performed abroad for limited administrative purposes, same-sex couples still cannot marry or enter into legally recognized civil partnerships within the country.
For now, the president’s veto leaves Poland without a legal framework recognizing same-sex relationships.
