Poland moves to recognize same‑sex marriages performed abroad

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that Poland will start recognizing same‑sex marriages celebrated in other EU member states. The decision follows a November 2025 European Court of Justice ruling and a March 2026 judgment by Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court, which ordered the registration of a German 2018 same‑sex marriage within 30 days. Tusk apologized for years of “rejection and humiliation” of LGBT couples, saying, "It's a question of human dignity: the right to happiness, the right to equal treatment by the state." Warsaw’s civil‑registry office is preparing to transcribe the first such marriage, although the couple has raised concerns about the wording of the documents. The move represents a historic shift, as Poland remains one of the few EU countries that does not permit same‑sex marriage domestically but is now obliged to acknowledge those performed abroad.