Draft laws on civil unions rejected

Policy Response DateJanuary 25, 2013 Country: Poland Address: Warszawa General Type: Equality/Integration Racism and discrimination phenomena: Homophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Policing - law enforcement

At the end of January 2013, the Sejm (Lower House of Parliament) rejected all three draft laws on civil unions, which were also supposed to legalize same-sex partnerships. The bills also included one that was drafted by the ruling party, which was voted down inter alia by several of its own members. They included the Government Plenipotentiary for Equal Treatment and Justice Minister Jaroslaw Gowin. Speaking from the Sejm pulpit the latter stated that civil unions are unconstitutional. The Prime Minister distanced himself from this statement, saying that this was a personal opinion expressed by Jaroslaw Gowin and not the Government. The party’s authorities did not draw any consequences against the members who voted down their own party’s bill.

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