Polish Government to Recognize Same-Sex Marriages Concluded in Other EU Countries

On May 12, 2026, the Polish government announced that it will begin recognizing same-sex marriages legally concluded in other European Union member states. Prime Minister Donald Tusk apologized to same-sex couples for years of non-recognition of their relationships, but emphasized that this step will not lead to allowing child adoption.

The government’s decision is based on recent court rulings. In 2019, a same-sex couple living in Poland filed a lawsuit over the authorities’ refusal to recognize their marriage, which was concluded in Germany. The Supreme Administrative Court of Poland referred the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg. In November 2025, the EU Court ruled in favor of the couple. In March 2026, the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland upheld this ruling.

Speaking to the Polish public broadcaster TVP, Donald Tusk expressed hope that the parliament would quickly draft the necessary legislative amendments. Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, a member of Tusk’s Civic Coalition party, stated that the capital will start recognizing such marriages earlier than the national government.

Any marriage recognition bill passed by the parliament will have to be signed by President Karol Nawrocki, who holds conservative Catholic views.

Polish human rights organizations reacted differently to the politicians’ statements. Representatives of the Campaign Against Homophobia welcomed the decision but noted that the real result would only be the signing of the law and the issuance of certificates to couples.

Karolina Gierdal, a lawyer from Lambda Warszawa , criticized the Prime Minister’s words about adoption. In a comment to TVP, she stated that the LGBT community is once again being presented as a threat, even though children are already being raised in same-sex families in Poland, and the lack of legal recognition reduces their level of protection.