Polish president vetoes civil partnerships bill

Poland's conservative President Karol Nawrocki on Friday vetoed a bill proposed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist government legalising civil partnerships, he announced in a statement.

"I have always emphasised that nothing that is a quasi-marriage can count on my support," Nawrocki said on X.

"As the guardian of the Constitution, I cannot accept a solution that would lead to the loss of the special status of marriage defined... as a union of a woman and a man," added the nationalist leader.

The bill, first sent to parliament last December, aimed to establish a "status of the closest person" extending rights to unmarried partners, including same-sex couples.

To quell conservative backlash, leaders from the ruling coalition have emphasised that the unions need not be between romantic partners, but could also be between neighbours or family members.

Poland, alongside Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia, is one of the last countries in Europe not to have legalised either same-sex marriage or civil unions.

The country has consistently ranked among the worst in Europe for LGBTQ rights, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA).

Ahead of the last parliamentary elections, Tusk's Pro-European Civic Coalition promised to introduce a bill legalising civil partnerships within their first 100 days in office.

However, the fact the party has had to rule with more conservative coalition partners and cohabitation with Nawrocki has meant many campaign promises on social issues have taken longer to compromise on and bring to a vote.