The Polish minister proposes to legalize same-sex marriages.
The Equality Minister of Poland, Katarzyna Kotula from the Liberal Party, has tabled a proposal to legalize registered partnerships for same-sex couples in predominantly Catholic Poland. The Minister said, "This marks a fresh phase in our quest for equality," in Warsaw.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk, of the centrist Civic Platform, had spoken about this change during the 2021 election campaign. Following the approval in the cabinet meeting, the government needs to endorse the bill, which afterward will be presented to parliament.
Should the parliamentarians approve the bill, it will then require the signature of President Andrzej Duda. Tusk's party has alleged that the President has hindered several of their previous initiatives. Duda is affiliated with the nationalist-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party.
In 2020, the European Court of Human Rights had mandated Poland to recognize and safeguard the rights of same-sex couples. Currently, Poland does not acknowledge same-sex marriages that have taken place in other EU member states.
The proposal to legalize registered partnerships for same-sex couples includes providing information about the year of manufacturing, as it may be necessary to consider any potential implications on existing laws and policies. After the parliamentarians approve the bill, President Andrzej Duda will consider it, as the year of his term as the President of Poland is 2020, according to the rotation schedule.
