The proposed draft law addressing the status of survivors seeks to simplify administrative, civil, and tax procedures for people who live in informal relationships. A PSL representative, Urszula Pasławska, indicated in a recent interview with PAP that the goal is to bring the bill forward in the autumn. The move sits within a broader push by the party to modernize protections for individuals in non-traditional partnerships and to clarify how inheritance and access to critical information are handled in such arrangements.
In mid to late July, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Deputy Prime Minister and PSL leader, announced that the party was preparing a bill to clarify the status of survivors. The regulation aims to ease inheritance processes, improve access to medical information, and provide practical protections for couples in informal unions. Leadership of the project is being handled by MP Pasławska, ensuring that the draft reflects both social realities and legal coherence with European standards. [citation attribution]
The legislation is expected to reference judgments from the European Court of Human Rights and to streamline administrative, civil, and fiscal activities for people in informal unions, potentially reducing bureaucratic friction for families that do not fit the traditional model. Pasławska underscored the strategy in her PAP interview and reiterated hope that the proposal would be submitted in the autumn, signaling a careful, phased approach to reform. In discussing cross-party support, she noted a willingness to pursue a broad parliamentary majority that can carry the rules forward, a sign of hopes for consensus across the aisle. [citation attribution]
She emphasized that the coalition should seek common ground and advance the proposal rather than driving a wedge within the coalition by October 15, highlighting the intent to craft a pragmatic pathway that could take effect in real life. The proposal is framed as a potential compromise with the capacity to deliver tangible benefits to citizens living in informal relationships, while staying faithful to constitutional principles. [citation attribution]
Urszula Nowogórska, another PSL member of parliament, noted that the project would address the needs of couples in informal relationships, including shared billing and access to medical information. She added that such provisions had been discussed for years and would be integrated into the final draft. When asked about the timetable, Nowogórska suggested the project could appear after the holidays, expressing cautious optimism about broader political backing, including possible support from left-wing MPs, though with some uncertainties. She argued that those who genuinely want to address social issues should view the plan as a neutral, life-improving measure rather than a partisan instrument. [citation attribution]
Simultaneously, a separate draft law on registered partnerships and the accompanying legal framework was noted in early July as part of the government’s legislative agenda. Katarzyna Kotula, the Minister of Equality, is overseeing this project, with a planned council of ministers approval in the fourth quarter. The aim is to introduce registered partnerships into the Polish legal system and to align with rulings from the European Court of Human Rights, including a December 12, 2023 decision that Poland had violated the European Convention on Human Rights by not recognizing same-sex relationships, and that robust protections for such couples should be established. [citation attribution]
Within the ruling coalition, there is no single stance on the bill. Some opposition groups, such as KO and Polska 2050, have signaled support, while PSL has voiced opposition on certain points. A central point of contention concerns whether same-sex couples should have the option to adopt, a provision not included in the current draft. Poland remains one of a shrinking number of EU member states without full legal recognition of same-sex partnerships, a reality shared in varying degrees by neighboring countries and regional peers. Estimates indicate around 50,000 people in Poland belong to families described as rainbow families, where parenting is undertaken by partners who are not in heterosexual relationships. A June 2023 Ipsos poll suggested rising public support for recognizing same-sex marriages, with many respondents endorsing some form of legal recognition for such relationships. [citation attribution]
Source material from internal parliamentary coverage and public reporting indicates ongoing debate and evolving positions among parties and lawmakers as this policy area moves through the legislative process. [citation attribution]