"Nothing Happened, Poles": 23 Years of Struggle and 7 Failed Attempts. The Sad History of Civil Partnerships in Poland

On September 17, 2026, the Polish Sejm once again rejected the opportunity to legally recognize same-sex relationships in Poland. The vote to override a presidential veto fell short by 27 votes. This marks the seventh chapter in a story dating back to 2003, in which political promises and compromises consistently give way to parliamentary arithmetic, leaving hundreds of thousands of couples without basic rights.
From the Szyszkowska Bill to Parliamentary DefeatsThe struggle for legal recognition of same-sex partnerships in Poland spans over two decades. Throughout the 1990s, the topic was practically non-existent in public discourse. A breakthrough came in 2003 through Senator Maria Szyszkowska, whose bill was passed by the Senate—making it the only chamber in Polish history to ever approve such legislation. However, the bill stalled in the Sejm and was eventually discarded.
The pattern repeated itself regularly over the following years:
2011–2013: The Sejm rejected successive civil partnership bills submitted by SLD and Movement Palikot in their first reading—voted down in part by MPs from the governing Civic Platform (PO).
2024–2025: The government adopted the draft framework, but opposition from the Polish People's Party (PSL) led to a watered-down proposal. Instead of "civil partnerships," a stripped-back bill on the "status of next of kin" was introduced.
2026: After years of concessions that removed key provisions—including statutory inheritance and joint adoption rights—President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the bill, citing Article 18 of the Polish Constitution.
A Country of Legal ParadoxesThe decision by the Sejm on September 17, 2026 (where 232 MPs voted to override the veto, falling short of the required three-fifths majority) maintains a bizarre legal reality.
Thanks to court rulings and the transcription procedure for foreign civil status records, a same-sex couple who gets married abroad—such as in Copenhagen—can obtain confirmation of their marital status in a Polish registry office. Meanwhile, a couple living together in Poland for decades has no legal mechanism to formalize their relationship in any form within their own country.
Period / EventKey MilestoneLegal Outcome2003Bill proposed by Senator Maria SzyszkowskaPassed by the Senate, ignored by the Sejm2011–2013First parliamentary votes on partnershipsBills rejected in the first reading2012–2018Supreme Court and High Administrative Court rulingsRight to inherit lease agreements after a deceased partner2025–2026Bill on the "status of next of kin"Presidential veto and failure to reach a 3/5 majority
What Remains Unchanged?Favorable judgments before domestic courts as well as the Strasbourg (ECHR) and Luxembourg (CJEU) courts remain the sole avenues for claiming fundamental rights. Systemically, Polish law continues to treat same-sex partners as legal strangers—offering no automatic access to medical information, no joint tax filing, and no burial rights without the consent of the biological family.