Polish President Vetoes LGBTI-Friendly Civil Partnership Bill

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed a bill that would have legalized same-sex relationships. Nawrocki argued that the legislation was contrary to the constitutional definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The bill had proposed allowing two adults to enter into civil partnerships, which would have granted them similar rights to married couples. This veto is seen as another setback for Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who had promised to introduce reforms on LGBTI rights and abortion laws.The Polish government, which had backed the bill, will need to secure a three-fifths majority in parliament to override the president's veto. However, the opposition from right-wing parties and the lack of sufficient votes from the ruling coalition make it highly unlikely that the veto will be overturned. Nawrocki stated that the bill would 'lead to the disappearance of the special status of marriage as defined in the constitution as a union between a man and a woman'.The bill had aimed to introduce civil partnerships that would have given couples similar rights to married couples, including access to medical information, joint property rights, and funeral arrangements.