The President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, vetoed two bills that would have created a new legal framework for cohabiting couples, including same-sex couples, thwarting one of the main initiatives promoted by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government regarding civil rights. The decision leaves Polish legislation unchanged, which continues to not legally recognize unions between same-sex individuals.
The legislative initiatives proposed the creation of so-called "cohabitation contracts", an instrument that would have allowed two adults to regulate aspects such as shared property, access to medical information, representation in certain personal decisions, and issues related to inheritance and funerals.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk
In announcing his decision, Nawrocki stated that the rules were incompatible with the Polish Constitution, which defines marriage as the union between a man and a woman. The president, supported by the nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS), claimed that the approval of these contracts could weaken the constitutional protection of the institution of marriage and decided to exercise his presidential veto right.
"As the guarantor of the Constitution, I cannot accept a solution that entails the loss of the special status of marriage, defined in Article 18 of the Constitution as the union of a man and a woman under the protection and care of the Republic of Poland." Stated Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
The bills had managed to gather support from all parties in the governing coalition, including the Polish People's Party (PSL), a conservative-leaning force that had previously rejected other proposals on the grounds that they could equate civil unions with marriage. PSL's support allowed the initiatives to advance in Parliament before reaching the presidential office.
The Polish Parliament
The possibility of overturning the veto is slim, as Parliament would need a qualified majority that the ruling coalition does not possess. Consequently, the bills would be shelved unless a new political agreement is reached or a different proposal is presented in the future.
Poland remains one of the few countries in the European Union that does not legally recognize unions between same-sex individuals. The presidential decision maintains the current legal framework and represents a new obstacle to the reforms promoted by the Executive in the area of civil rights, an area where Donald Tusk's government has repeatedly faced difficulties due to the president's veto powers.
