Poland has moved closer to recognizing civil partnerships‚ marking a shift from its previous stance on LGBT rights. The government published a draft law on 10/13/24 (which was a Friday) that could change the legal landscape for many couples
Katarzyna Kotula‚ the Equality Minister called it a “historic day“ for the country. This move comes after the pro-European coalition led by Donald Tusk took power roughly a year ago‚ ending eight years of nationalist rule that had labeled LGBT equality as a dangerous foreign idea
The new government‚ which got strong support from younger liberal voters is now trying to deliver on its promises. However some supporters are not happy with how slow things are going. Kotula said‚ “Our voters expect us to introduce these changes to human rights“ She added that the bill is “an absolutely reasonable solution that can provide a feeling of security for many people who live in informal relationships“
The proposed law would give civil partners rights to inheritance and medical information about their partners. But it doesnt include adoption rights – a compromise to get support from the more conservative Polish Peasants Party (PSL) which is part of the ruling coalition
This is a good sign
However he also pointed out that the LGBT community was promised laws to stop discrimination against them
For the bill to become law‚ it needs to be approved by parliament and signed by President Andrzej Duda‚ who has been friendly with the previous nationalist government. His term ends next year‚ and theres no word yet from the presidential palace about what he thinks of this new bill
The governments struggle to change abortion laws shows how hard it can be to make big changes. Even so this draft law is a big step for Poland – a mostly Catholic country where gay rights have been a hot topic for years