Polish president blocks law that would allow LGBTQ+ couples to cohabit

Polish President Andrzej Duda has vetoed a legislative proposal that aimed to grant legal recognition for unmarried couples living together, a move that would have extended rights to same-sex partnerships. The bill, introduced by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist government, was seen as a significant step toward improving legal protections for the LGBTQ+ community in Poland, a country where such rights remain limited compared to other EU nations. The proposed legislation would have allowed any two individuals, regardless of gender, to enter into a cohabitation contract through a notary. This contract would have covered arrangements concerning housing rights, alimony, access to medical information and insurance, care leave, joint tax filings, and tax exemptions.

The government had attempted to broaden the bill's appeal by emphasizing its applicability to family members or housemates living together, anticipating conservative opposition. However, President Duda, who aligns with the conservative, nationalist, and eurosceptic ideology often associated with the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, ultimately blocked the legislation. He stated on X that as a "guardian of the Constitution," he could not accept a solution that would diminish the "special status of marriage" as a union between a man and a woman. Overcoming the presidential veto would require a three-fifths parliamentary majority, a difficult feat given the opposition from nationalist parties.

This veto dashes hopes for a key election promise made by Tusk's pro-European Civic Coalition. While the bill did not propose marriage for same-sex couples, its passage would have marked a crucial advancement in legal recognition for LGBTQ+ individuals in Poland. The failure to pass the cohabitation statute highlights the ongoing political and social divisions within the country regarding LGBTQ+ rights.

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As a guardian of the Constitution, I cannot accept a solution that would lead to the loss of the special status of marriage, defined as the union between a woman and a man.