Progressives in Poland and across Europe celebrated on Thursday, 14 May, after the country registered its first legally recognized same-sex marriage.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The decision followed rulings by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and Poland\u2019s Supreme Administrative Court requiring Polish authorities to recognize same-sex marriages legally concluded elsewhere in the European Union.<\/p>\n
Hungarian Conservative reported on the CJEU ruling<\/a> back in November 2025, noting that it was \u2018significant and could form the basis of legal proceedings\u2019 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\u2019s 27 member states recognize same-sex marriage. Despite the current decision, it remains illegal in Poland.<\/p>\n Warsaw Mayor Rafa\u0142 Trzaskowski announced that the capital had issued \u2018the first transcription of a marriage certificate for a same-sex couple\u2019 and pledged that Warsaw would proactively recognize similar marriages in the future.<\/p>\n Transkrypcja sporz\u0105dzona i osobi\u015bcie wr\u0119czona. Pierwsza w Polsce. Zgodnie z zapowiedzi\u0105.<\/p>\n \u2014 Rafa\u0142 Trzaskowski (@trzaskowski_) May 14, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Prime Minister Donald Tusk also welcomed the move, stating that his government would implement the rulings \u2018as soon as possible\u2019. Tusk additionally apologized<\/a> to same-sex couples who had \u2018felt rejected and humiliated\u2019 for years in Poland.<\/p>\n The couple at the centre of the case\u2014Jakub Cupriak-Trojan and Mateusz Trojan\u2014had spent years fighting Polish authorities after repeatedly being denied recognition of their German marriage. The March 2026 ruling by Poland\u2019s Supreme Administrative Court ultimately ordered Warsaw\u2019s civil registry office to register their marriage for administrative purposes.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Recent polling has indeed suggested growing support for same-sex unions<\/a> 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\u201454 per cent\u2014supported same-sex marriage.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n PiS parliamentary group leader Mariusz B\u0142aszczak condemned the move, warning that \u2018under Donald Tusk\u2019s government, same-sex marriage is being introduced step by step\u2019. He argued that \u2018this is an attack on the constitutional definition of marriage and on the family itself\u2019, adding that \u2018the next demand will be adoption rights\u2019.<\/p>\n Poland\u2019s 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\u2019s Supreme Administrative Court.\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/QYqRyXJ0eJ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 PinkNews (@PinkNews) May 14, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Polish President Karol Nawrocki has also opposed<\/a> broader recognition of same-sex unions, insisting in earlier remarks that he would not allow \u2018ideological experiments that undermine the constitutional order and Christian values\u2019.<\/p>\n Conservative commentators and right-wing media likewise criticized Warsaw Mayor Trzaskowski, accusing him of using the issue to advance a broader progressive agenda.<\/p>\n Deputy Sejm Speaker and leader of right-wing Konfederacja Krzysztof Bosak<\/a> criticized planned administrative changes linked to the rulings, arguing that the authorities were attempting to \u2018smuggle the legal effects of homosexual marriages into Poland without changing the constitution\u2019.<\/p>\n Critics further claimed that the European Union is imposing cultural change on Poland through judicial decisions rather than democratic processes.<\/p>\n Related articles:<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t