Poland moves to legalize gay partnerships

The Polish government has proposed two bills that aim to recognize civil partnerships, including same-sex ones, Equality Minister Katarzyna Kotula has announced.

The fiercely Catholic country recognizes both civil and religious marriages, but draws the line at same-sex unions, despite years of pressure from the EU and the US.

“It’s official! The draft laws on registered partnerships, which were discussed with non-governmental organizations, have been sent for public and inter-ministerial consultations,” Kotula said on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, posing with the documents.

“This is a new chapter in the long march for equality, which, thanks to the many years of work of many LGBT organizations and civil society, has led us to this historic moment,” the minister added.

The government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk has proposed establishing “civil partnerships” between adults, irrespective of their sex, that would be registered with local authorities much as any other contract.

Couples in such partnerships would then be able to establish joint property, or divide their property, via notarized deeds.

Kotula told the Polish Press Agency PAP that the government had to “take a step back” and make a compromise when it came to same-sex couples and adoption of children, however.

According to the proposed bills, a person in the civil partnership is “entitled to participate” in the care and raising of their partner’s child residing in the household, including everyday decisions, “unless either of the parents exercising parental authority over the child objects.”

The bills are now headed to inter-ministerial discussions and public consultations, before being considered by the parliament in Warsaw.

Poland is one of five EU members that has not granted legal recognition to same-sex relationships, the others being Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia.