European Court of Justice rulings challenge national marriage and child‑protection laws

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has issued decisions that intersect with national legislation in member states. One ruling requires that same‑sex marriages performed abroad be recorded in the civil registers of the spouses’ home countries, a position that conflicts with Poland’s constitutional definition of marriage as a union between a woman and a man. Another decision overturns Hungary’s law aimed at protecting children from what it described as LGBT‑related ideology, after a five‑year waiting period for a judgment. The articles note that ECJ judges are appointed by national governments, with Germany and France holding significant representation, and argue that the court frequently cites “European values” when rendering its judgments.