Poland's Parliament Passes 'Closest Person' Civil Union Law, But Presidential Veto Looms

A Historic Vote in the Sejm

On Friday, 29 May 2026, the Polish Sejm voted to pass the Act on the Status of the Closest Person in a Relationship and the Cohabitation Agreement. The final tally saw 230 deputies in favor, 198 against, and one abstention. The vote marks the first time the Polish parliament has passed legislation explicitly recognizing and providing minimal legal protections for same-sex couples. The atmosphere in the chamber was emotional; after the result was announced, applause broke out, and Sejm Marshal Włodzimierz Czarzasty declared on social media that "hell has frozen over."

Hell has frozen over. And good – the Sejm has passed the act on the status of the closest person in a relationship.

What the Law Would Do

The legislation allows any two adults to enter into a notarized agreement, which, once registered at the civil registry office (USC), grants them a range of legal rights. These include the ability to choose a property regime, establish alimony obligations, secure the right to a shared apartment, and grant a partner access to medical information and the authority to act as a proxy in daily life matters. The law also places the "closest person" in the zero tax group for inheritance and gift tax, similar to a spouse. The project, championed by Government Plenipotentiary for Equality Katarzyna Kotula of the Left, was developed in collaboration with Urszula Pasławska of the Polish People's Party (PSL) after more ambitious partnership proposals met resistance.

A lot of people worked so that over 3 million Polish women and men could feel more dignified.

The Political Divide

The vote exposed deep fissures within the ruling coalition. While all voting members of Civic Coalition (KO), the Left, Poland 2050, and Together supported the bill, five PSL deputies broke ranks to vote against it, alongside the entire Law and Justice (PiS) and Confederation clubs. The opposition argued the law undermines the institution of marriage. PiS MP Michał Wójcik called it "an absolute assault on our society, state, family institutions, and our traditions," and questioned the purpose of marriage if such a law exists. The Sejm rejected motions to dismiss the bill outright and also rejected amendments proposed by MP Marta Stożek of the Together party, instead adopting three clarifying amendments from the Left.

This law is an absolute assault on our society, state, family institutions, and our traditions.

The Presidential Veto Promise

Despite the legislative victory, the law's future is bleak. Even before the vote, on 27 May, the Chancellery of President Karol Nawrocki announced he would not sign the bill in its current form. Presidential Minister Paweł Szefernaker stated there is "no and will be no consent from the president for the introduction or legalization of same-sex partnerships." The president's office argues the bill de facto changes over 200 other laws, equating partnerships with marriage. Nawrocki is expected to present his own counter-proposal, which would allow a simple civil law agreement between any two individuals, such as neighbors or a young person and a veteran they care for, a move critics have called a "slap in the face to the LGBT+ community."

There is no and will be no consent from the president for the introduction or legalization of same-sex partnerships.

What Comes Next

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration. However, with the presidential veto all but certain, the Sejm's action is widely viewed as a symbolic gesture. The legislation would require a three-fifths majority to override a presidential veto, a threshold the ruling coalition cannot currently meet given the internal dissent and unified opposition. For now, the law represents a landmark moment in Polish social policy that is likely to remain unimplemented.