The Sejm has passed a bill on the status of a close person in a relationship and an agreement on cohabitation. Earlier, it rejected motions to dismiss the bill in its entirety submitted by the parliamentary clubs of Law and Justice (PiS) and Confederation. Voting against, alongside MPs from PiS, Confederation, and Confederation of the Polish Crown, were also four MPs from the Polish People’s Party. “I am ready to sign a law that is not ideological, that will not constitute a gateway to an alternative to marriage or undermine the constitution,” declared the President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki.
Today, the Sejm voted on the draft bill concerning the status of a close person in a relationship and an agreement on cohabitation. During Wednesday’s extraordinary committee session, the parliamentary clubs of Civic Platform (KO), the Polish People’s Party, New Left, Centre, and Polska 2050 Party supported the proposal.
The draft provides that two adults, including those of the same sex, will be able to conclude an agreement before a notary which – registered at the Civil Registry Office – will allow the parties, among other things, to choose a property regime, establish maintenance obligations, obtain the right to use a shared apartment, and grant the other person access to medical information and the ability to act as a proxy in everyday matters.
In favor of passing the bill on the status of a close person, 230 MPs voted, 198 were against, and 1 abstained.
Voting “for” were MPs from KO, Lewica, Centre, the majority of the Polish People’s Party club, Polska 2050, Razem, and four non-affiliated MPs (Mucha, Matysiak, Józefaciuk, and Zalewski).
Voting “against” were MPs from PiS, Confederation, Confederation of the Polish Crown, MPs Ardanowski and Rzymkowski from Direct Democracy, two non-affiliated MPs (Jakubiak, Kowalski), and four MPs from the Polish People’s Party (Nowogórska, Biernacki, Grzyb, Tomczak).
Paweł Kukiz from Direct Democracy abstained from the vote.
Earlier, MPs did not support motions to reject the bill submitted by the clubs of PiS, Confederation, Confederation of the Polish Crown, and the Direct Democracy circle. They also rejected a package of amendments submitted by MP Marta Stożek from the Razem party. However, they adopted a package of three amendments proposed by the Left, aimed at clarifying and standardizing the provisions.
The Sejm also passed a bill introducing provisions on the status of a close person. The law amends nearly 200 currently binding regulations, in most cases granting a close person in a relationship the same rights currently enjoyed by spouses. 230 MPs voted in favor of the bill, 200 were against, and 1 abstained.
President: I will sign a law that is not ideological
Asked by journalists about the bill adopted by the Sejm on the status of a close person, President Karol Nawrocki responded:
“I am the guardian of the constitution (…) and the constitution clearly states that marriage is a union between a woman and a man, and I will not sign any law that would constitute an alternative to marriage. In line with my declarations during the election campaign, in line with good will, and in line with the negotiations taking place at the Presidential Palace, I am ready to sign a law that is not ideological, that will not constitute a gateway to an alternative to marriage or undermine the constitution. If we find solutions that will help people with the status of a close person function, and that will not involve ideological pressure or attempts to undermine the unique status of marriage, then I will sign such a law,” said the President of the Republic of Poland.