Poland: Homosexual partnership rejected by Parliament

Parliament of the Republic of Poland
The Catholic Church in Poland saluted Parliament’s rejection of a proposed law in favor of a “registered partnership” (known as a “civil union” in the US) for homosexual couples.
The majority of the deputies thus defended “the dignity of marriage and the family”, a pleased president of the Commission on the Family of the bishops’ conference, Bishop Kazimierz Górny said in a letter dated July 25, 2012, to the Polish president and the lower house of Parliament.
The previous day, July 24, the Polish Parliament had refused, by a three-quarters majority, a proposed law in favor of homosexual partnership that had been submitted by the leftist opposition.
The parties of the conservative-liberal governing coalition as well as the conservative opposition argued for this rejection based on Polish constitutional law. The Palikot movement and the social democrats wanted a registered partnership with extended rights for heterosexual and homosexual couples. This could only be a postponement, however.
Indeed, the party of Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that he was preparing for September another bill authorizing a registered partnership. According to the Polish media, this bill aroused no opposition within his parliamentary group and thus could receive the approval of a majority of the deputies.
The bill is a little more restrictive than the one drawn up by the left: it provides for a right of inheritance, but no tax advantages. It also foresees a duty of support in case of separation.
This partnership would be open to heterosexual couples as well as homosexuals. However, according to a statistical study, two-thirds of Polish citizens are opposed to a registered partnership for homosexual couples. It is said that only 23% suppose that proposal.
Source: Apic – DICI no. 260 dated September 14, 2012