Poland President Vetoes Cohabitation Bills, Blocking New Legal Rights for Same Sex Couples

Описание: Poland's President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed two bills that would have created legal "cohabitation contracts" for unmarried couples. This has dealt another setback to same-sex couples in one of the European Union's few countries with limited LGBTQ rights. The legislation would have allowed two adults living together to sign agreements covering joint property rights, access to medical information, and burial arrangements. The bills had gained support across Prime Minister Donald Tusk's governing coalition, including backing from the conservative PSL party. Nawrocki, however, has defended his decision, saying, "As the guardian of the Constitution, I cannot accept a solution that would lead to the loss of the special status of marriage, defined in Article 18 of the Constitution as a union of a man and a woman under the protection and care of the Republic of Poland." With opposition parties also against the measures, lawmakers are not expected to have enough votes to override the veto.