Poland to Recognize Same-Sex Marriages Registered in Other EU States
Warsaw, Poland – Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court has ordered local authorities to recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other European Union member states, a landmark decision following a ruling last year by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The ruling mandates the registration of these marriage certificates for administrative and residency purposes, overturning a previous decision by a Warsaw court.
The decision comes despite Poland’s constitutional definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman, as outlined in Article 18 of the Polish Constitution. Same-sex couples are currently unable to legally marry within Poland.
The ECJ ruled last year that Poland had violated EU law by refusing to recognize the marriage of Polish nationals who wed in Germany in 2018. The court cited violations of EU guarantees regarding freedom of movement and the right to family life. The ECJ ruling is applicable across all 27 EU member states, including Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, and Slovakia, where same-sex marriage is not currently recognized.
Pro-LGBTQ groups in Poland have welcomed the Supreme Administrative Court’s decision, calling it a crucial first step toward broader legal changes.
However, the path forward remains uncertain. President Karol Nawrocki, elected last June, has pledged to defend what he calls traditional Catholic values and has expressed opposition to any legislation that would alter the constitutional definition of marriage. He has accused the EU of “ideological madness” and vowed to resist perceived interference in Polish domestic policy.
In October 2024, Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-EU coalition government proposed a draft bill to recognize civil partnerships, including those for same-sex couples. The proposal faced resistance from within the governing coalition, specifically from the Polish People’s Party (PSL), and from the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party.
