Poland approved Cohabitation Bill for same sex couples

Poland's government approved a bill on Tuesday introducing "cohabitation contracts" for couples living together, a measure of recognition for same-sex unions in one of the few European Union countries with few rights for LGBT people. 

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who took office in 2023 pledging to reverse arch-conservative party policies criticised by Brussels for undermining democracy and minority rights, has struggled to deliver reforms on abortion and LGBT rights.

Those have faced resistance from his conservative junior coalition partner PSL and veto threats from two successive presidents



aligned with the right-wing nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party that lost power in the 2023 election. 

We are going to the parliament with a conciliation project for which we believe there is a majority in the lower and upper House, Katarzyna Kotula, the government official overseeing equality issues, told reporters after a cabinet session.

The bill would allow two people, regardless of gender, to sign a cohabitation contract at a notary’s office. It covers housing rights, alimony, access to health information and health insurance, care leave, joint tax returns and tax exemptions.