Progressives in Poland and across Europe celebrated on Thursday, 14 May, after the country registered its first legally recognized same-sex marriage.

What many described as a historic moment in Polish legal history came after authorities in Warsaw officially transcribed the marriage certificate of two Polish men who had married in Germany back in 2018.

The decision followed rulings by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court requiring Polish authorities to recognize same-sex marriages legally concluded elsewhere in the European Union.

Hungarian Conservative reported on the CJEU ruling back in November 2025, noting that it was ‘significant and could form the basis of legal proceedings’ against countries that constitutionally reject same-sex marriage and oppose broader LGBTQ demands. However, the ruling does not require member states to legalize same-sex marriage under domestic law. As of today, 16 of the EU’s 27 member states recognize same-sex marriage. Despite the current decision, it remains illegal in Poland.

Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski announced that the capital had issued ‘the first transcription of a marriage certificate for a same-sex couple’ and pledged that Warsaw would proactively recognize similar marriages in the future.

Transkrypcja sporządzona i osobiście wręczona. Pierwsza w Polsce. Zgodnie z zapowiedzią.

— Rafał Trzaskowski (@trzaskowski_) May 14, 2026

Prime Minister Donald Tusk also welcomed the move, stating that his government would implement the rulings ‘as soon as possible’. Tusk additionally apologized to same-sex couples who had ‘felt rejected and humiliated’ for years in Poland.

The couple at the centre of the case—Jakub Cupriak-Trojan and Mateusz Trojan—had spent years fighting Polish authorities after repeatedly being denied recognition of their German marriage. The March 2026 ruling by Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court ultimately ordered Warsaw’s civil registry office to register their marriage for administrative purposes.

Progressive politicians and LGBTQ activists hailed the decision as a historic milestone. Supporters argued that the ruling brings Poland closer to broader European legal standards and reflects changing public attitudes.

Recent polling has indeed suggested growing support for same-sex unions in Poland. A 2025 CBOS poll found that 62.1 per cent of respondents supported legalizing same-sex civil partnerships, while a 2023 GLOBSEC survey marked the first time that a majority of Poles—54 per cent—supported same-sex marriage.

Conservative politicians, however, reacted with alarm. Members of the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party accused the government and European courts of undermining the Polish constitution and traditional family values. Article 18 of the Polish Constitution is widely interpreted as defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

PiS parliamentary group leader Mariusz Błaszczak condemned the move, warning that ‘under Donald Tusk’s government, same-sex marriage is being introduced step by step’. He argued that ‘this is an attack on the constitutional definition of marriage and on the family itself’, adding that ‘the next demand will be adoption rights’.

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has assured that Poland will begin recognising same-sex marriages performed in other European Union countries following major court rulings from both the Court of Justice of the European Union and Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court.… pic.twitter.com/QYqRyXJ0eJ

— PinkNews (@PinkNews) May 14, 2026

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has also opposed broader recognition of same-sex unions, insisting in earlier remarks that he would not allow ‘ideological experiments that undermine the constitutional order and Christian values’.

Conservative commentators and right-wing media likewise criticized Warsaw Mayor Trzaskowski, accusing him of using the issue to advance a broader progressive agenda.

Deputy Sejm Speaker and leader of right-wing Konfederacja Krzysztof Bosak criticized planned administrative changes linked to the rulings, arguing that the authorities were attempting to ‘smuggle the legal effects of homosexual marriages into Poland without changing the constitution’.

Critics further claimed that the European Union is imposing cultural change on Poland through judicial decisions rather than democratic processes.

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