According to the new regulation, alongside traditional ones, three different types of civil registration forms are introduced for same-sex unions.
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The government changed domestic laws following the November 2025 decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which states that EU member states must recognize same-sex marriages legally concluded in another member state, even if their domestic law does not allow such unions. After this decision, the Polish Supreme Administrative Court ordered several same-sex marriage certificates to be entered into the Polish civil registry.
However, to fully implement the decision, it was necessary to change domestic rules.
The regulation published in May came into effect on August 23. It was implemented despite socially conservative opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) parliamentarians appealing the case to the Constitutional Tribunal.
A three-judge panel, consisting of former PiS politicians and a judge opposed to abortion, declared the law unconstitutional. However, government spokesperson Adam Szlapka said the decision did not change the Polish legal system because the current Constitutional Tribunal has legal deficiencies.
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The centrist Polish government, as well as EU courts and institutions, do not recognize the Constitutional Tribunal as an independent constitutional court and claim it was politicized during PiS rule from 2015 to 2023.
The new provisions have faced criticism from conservative regional authorities, including the mayor of Zakopane, who promised to reject such requests. Civil registry office employees can also register online for special seminars explaining how to refuse to issue extracts.
According to the latest CBOS survey data, public opinion on this issue is evenly split: 45% are in favor, and 45% are against.
